The Endymion Ghosts
by F-14 Tomcat Lover
Summary: ZAFT Aces Crimson Eagle and Lunar Cherry Blossom, Earth Forces Ace Grizzly Bear. Why did these three desert? Why are they on Heliopolis, who's the woman with them? What is there tale after Endymion? Redone!
1. The Fate That Binds

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner.

"_**The Endymion Ghosts"**_

_**Prologue Chapter: "The Fate That Binds"

* * *

**_

The fierce battle of the Endymion Crater, this one battle set the standard for all battles afterwards, below the belt blows with cowardly concern for the fighting soldiers on the line. Before that final battle, four heroes had emerged from both sides of the line. The two heroes of the **Zodiac Alliance of Freedom Treaty**, or **ZAFT**, was the twin duo of **Commander Crim Eagleton**, the **"Crimson Eagle"** of the **'****69 Blockade Run** and **Commander Sakura Ryusouke**, the **"Lunar Cherry Blossom."** The **Oppose Militancy and Neutralize Invasion Enforcer**, or **OMNI Enforcer** or **Earth Alliance** or just plain **Earth Forces** was a talented infantry grunt reassigned to the elite **Moebius Zero Mobile Armor** **Corps**, **Corporal** turned **Ensign Justin "Grizzly" Glick**, the **"The Grizzly Bear" **and the Hero of the Battle of Endymion,** Lieutanent JG (Junior Grade) Mu "Peregrine" La Flaga**.

* * *

_**Endymion Crater, Grimaldi Front, Near Side of the Moon**_

_**June 6th, 70 Cosmic Era**_

"_Red Five evade!"_

"_I can't… AAH!" static._

"_Jean you got a Zero on your tail! Jink Left!"_

"_NOOOOOOOOO!" static._

"_Damn it! I've got Grizzly on my tail! Someone! HELP! AHHH!" static._

"_Grizzly just bagged his second kill!"_

"_Alright! That's some good news!"_

"_But here comes some bad news!"_

"_Where the hell did the Eagle come from…" static._

"_Thanks sir, you saved my life, but here comes Peregrine himself!"_

_A lone Zero appeared and started to duel with the ZAFT mobile suits. Three top ZAFT aces, two red uniforms and a regular green suit, attempted to deal with the Zero, only they didn't survive their encounter with him, though they had gotten the jump on the soon to be Hawk of Endymion, they got cocky and failed to capitalize on their advantage and the Hawk quickly turned the tables on them and in one fluid motion had gotten two with two gunbarrels a piece and a Linear shot through the chest plate of the lone green coat._

"_Look at Peregrine go! He's racking them up!" called out a regular Moebius pilot._

"_Oh_ _yeah! He's going to be something great! Hmm... THE SAKURA!" called out an AA gunner._

_A pink and white GINN appeared from behind a wrecked AA emplacement and decimated several more like it and a hapless Zero. Then the Grizzly Bear came down to fight her and the two went at it. Meanwhile the 'Eagle' and the 'Hawk' went head to head. The rest of their teams and units went at it just the same, but every now and then a snooper would try to kill one of the __**"Four Masters of Luna"**__ and find themselves breathing vacuum, if they lived that long.

* * *

_

_**Crim Eagleton's POV**_

"_Eagle Seven watch yourself, Zero at six!"_

"_I see'em, but I have five regs all over..." what I heard next was just static._

_I checked Eagle 7's, Ray Burton, age 17, beacon and saw it was gone and that his IFF readout showed red. Another one gone, 10 of my pilots out of 24, not good. This'll be one of those damnable empty victories. I wish Rau Le Creuset would sound recall and get what's left of us clear. Where is he, now that I think about it? He's missing, last I saw him was near that AA emplacement that Sakura was hanging around before Mister California decided to ask her for a dance._

_Hmm... Not good and I mean that in a very, very bad way. Well, no time like the present to cut and run, better sound recall myself._

"_This is Eagle Lead to all ZAFT Forces..." I never finished._

"_BOSS! I'm detecting high levels of radiation!" I heard Eagle 12 shout into my ears, fear filling her voice for the first time since I've met her._

"_WHAT?" They couldn't be thinking what I think they're thinking._

"_ALL ZAFT AND ALLIANCE FORCES... BUG OUT! BUG OUT NOW! THE ENDYMION SUPPLY BASE IS SELF DETONATING! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" I shouted and prayed everyone would run, most did, and few would make it, I knew that to be too damn true._

_**End Eagleton's POV

* * *

**_

_ZAFT and Alliance troops took off in every conceivable and non-conceivable direction. They pushed their machines past the limits that the eggheads and experts said they could not reach and could not survive, but they were and though a few would survive, none died from anything short of the explosion that was hungrily chasing them down.

* * *

_

_**Sakura Ryosouke's POV**_

'_Damn it' I thought as I pushed my machine to beyond its limit. My Wild Flowers were beside me and we were running for our lives in mixed units, including Alliance forces, armor, ships, whatever!_

_It was just like Crim thought, Blue Cosmos truly..._

_**End Ryosouke's POV

* * *

**_

_Watching his kill getting caught in the blast, Ensign Justin Glick released his gun barrels and wrapped them around the Lunar Cherry Blossom's mobile suit and two more of her mates and started to drag them to safety, but he wouldn't make it alone, but several other Zero pilots duplicated the move and some mobile suits helped out as well. A lot of lives ended up being saved that way, as well as a couple dozen ships, life boats, whatever could ferry human life to safety, trying to clear out as well. That meant even more lives were saved. Though there had been quite a number of heroic sacrifices, none that would ever be forgotten, not if the Endymion survivors had their say and they would… lots of it._

_The fighting for the Moon concluded shortly thereafter. Though there had been heavy fighting between Alliance Forces and ZAFT forces covering the retreat of the ZAFT Lunar Expeditionary Force, it was still very limited in scope._

_One pilot continued to fight while the rest of his unit withdrew to safety. The ear piecing cry of the vengeful eagle cut through all radio waves and paralyzed enemy troop formations. The fighting continued to rage. No Zeroes were flying, too few left, in fact only one, the rest had gone MIA during the final blast impact of the Cyclops System. The whole Third Lunar Fleet was gone save for the Hawk of Endymion._

_The last active pilot of ZAFT's LEF fought on and fought hard. Sinking ships and slicing through Mobile Armor. His crimson paint scheme with the form of a brown and white eagle diving for the attack shown brightly and he truly lived up to his name, that was until the wounds of Endymion caught up to him.

* * *

_

_**Eagleton's POV**_

"_Die you bastards! Just DIE or GO away! I don't CARE!" I screamed, livid with unchecked fury and rage._

_They just kept coming, and coming. I don't see anyone from the 8th Fleet, that's good news. Yet the 7th and 9th Orbital Fleets are a pain in the six. What was that explosion? Damn, a hospital ship just went up, but there are survivors, I'm needed there._

_Maybe we're lucky that the 3rd Fleet is gone and with them, their Zeroes. We wouldn't have lasted this long. Where is Le Creuset? Coward probably ran away with the lead units, the least in danger elements and he calls himself an Ace. I'm the Ace and a Master of Aces at that._

_Err... GO AWAY! DAMN IT TO HELL!_

_I can't believe they are going after medical ships. If we use those, they should know that the pilots would most likely end up on Reserve and/or inactive service. Damn it all and damn those cowards of Blue Cosmos and Alliance Command. Money talks indeed, what a sickening thought!_

_Good the last teams are away, now to buy time. Damn it, these wounds hurt like hell. I wish I could find Rau Le Creuset! Damn it! A Blue Boy has more courage than him and that's an absolute joke! Where did he come from? Damn it, I'm losing it, need to last a little longer and the LEF will be safe._

"_Come on soldiers! Pull it together and hold the line! We need to ensure that everyone gets away! Stop those bastards! FOR THE PLANTS!" I yelled over the TACNET, everyone redoubled their efforts._

_I see a hospital ship launch late, damn it, vultures are all over it! I need to protect it! Damn it, get there faster! NO! DON'T! A __**Nelson**__ has it with-in firing range! Get away, I have to make it! They're shooting!_

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!"

* * *

_

Flying up from his slumber screaming his head off, a man with short strawberry colored hair shot awake as the nightmare past, though his screaming had brought his wife to him as she came running to his side.

"It's alright dear, it was a bad dream, just a dream," she says to him.

He quietly begins to sob into her left shoulder. The fear and terror, the heart ache and the sadness, all of it, all that which he has gained from a terrible war and that finally seems to be calming down. It has been nearly a year since Endymion, but still he can't help, but still feel the after effects. The Nightmare of Endymion and the following retreat will always be there, but thankfully, he was no where near the front lines these days.

"You better hurry or you might be late to Professor Kato's office. I have to go and help with the Astrays," his wife said soothingly.

"Yeah I know, sorry for the wake up call. Is Jun already at the yard?" he inquired.

"Yes, and there seems to be more activity then we thought, I believe the Alliance..." He finished for her, "is here. I know."

She gave a look that prodded him into telling, "I saw an old friend around the yards, namely one of the restricted yards. I have the feeling that the Alliance mobile suits, the G-Weapons if our Intel is right, are being produced here and now, along with the fact I saw and worked on their new carrier _Archangel_."

She giggled and he looked at her. Well shaped body, strong teal eyes, long and straight in a pony tail silver hair, and the most beautiful lips he has every seen. At 169 cm tall and well filled out with the curves in the right places, no man ever wanted to take his gaze away...

…That's when a pounding on their door came.

"Yo Rick, you up?" called a voice.

"Yeah, I am Sean, give me a moment to eat," Rick Bluefield called out. He stood 201 cm tall, a real giant of a man with gentle hands despite the fact his face is heavily tattooed with claw like marks that in reality cover the fact that they are scars obtained facing death on more than half dozen occasions. It was widely rumored he was a deserter from the Alliance, but he was not. He was built real tough and seemed to walk like a soldier, but he was real kind and helpful. His wife, May Bluefield, was the meaner of the two, or at least that's what their co-workers say!

Their friends Sean Hayes and Jun Yamasaki were of equal build, but Sean was more board shouldered, heavier set and 175 cm compared to Jun's slender build, small shouldered, and 157 cm height. The four had arrived at different times on Heliopolis, but became fast friends. They had a lot more friends at work and aboard, but they rarely saw any of them.

What did you expect? A war was going on for Pete's Sake!

Though that day would become a fateful day for them and others as Rick got ready for work. That day many lives would change forever more and the war finally and truly would begin and in earnest.

* * *

For those new, this story has been overhauled and hopefully given new life. I even added call signs, something that has been strangely missing in most Anime. Hopefully, this will get this early work of my a much needed boost.

So please, when you finish reading, please leave a review.


	2. Battle of Heliopolis

"_**The Endymion Ghosts"**_

**Chapter One**

"**Battle of Heliopolis"

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**

_**Heliopolis Resource Satellite, Orb Union Island-type Colony, L3 Area**_

The weather programming for Heliopolis called for sunshine and few clouds. Other than that, it was a beautiful day. People were going about their everyday lives and enjoying themselves, but outside the colony two ZAFT ships dispatched a group of commandoes to raid the colony for the new Earth Alliance G-Weapons and to sink their new battleship being built there. At the same time, an Earth Alliance OMNI Enforcer ship, carrying the new pilots for the G-Weapons, successfully docked with Heliopolis well aware of the ZAFT ships, but not the commandoes and feeling quite safe. It _was_ a neutral colony after all. No one ever thought that the fighting would come to this slice of paradise, but it just did.

* * *

Walking through the endless hallways and complaining about their plainness, a trio consisting of one female and two males walked through the endless hallways to one Professor Kato's office. There they meant up with a group of Heliopolis Technical Institute students consisting of Tolle Koenig, Miriallia Haw, Kuzzey Buskirk, Sai Argyle, and Kira Yamato. Plus there was Kira's annoying, at least in Sean's opinion, green and yellow mechanical bird, Birdie and a blonde with a brown hat and brown coat with tan slacks off to one side near the professor's personal office.

"Great, I get outta bed and have to wait after the lady of a guest," grumbled Rick Bluefield, shocking the HTI students who did a double take and now that they could see past the initial appearance, they realized it was a girl.

"She is a girl," Kira naively stated and the blonde blushed before going off on a triad of chewing Kira out for thinking she was a boy and then went on to chew out the rest, even Miriallia didn't escape the tongue lashing they all got.

"Not my most enjoyable day," Rick stated as he watched the verbal punishment end and the 'kiddies' as he and Sean called the group get back to work.

"Could think of better things to do with my time then wait after a Tomboy for a chronically late Prof," Rick gave a sigh at the end of his grumble.

"Same here," agreed Sean Hayes with his own sigh, though he did notice a jiggle effect in the blond's coat and nodded about it to his friend who shook his head.

That's when Rick's wife, May, pinched their ears, making them cry mercy in record time. She scolded the two for being lazy, neither took offense and decided to embarrass her instead by helping out the kids and listing off what they were required to do, minus the Classified Orb and Alliance military projects and related fields. She blushed a perfect shade of crimson in embarrassment that colored her cream white face brightly.

"Still the same as ever," Tolle remarked.

"That reminds, why did you put Kira into a headlock just now Tolle?" asked May, quite curious to the young brunette's actions and hoping to deflect attention.

"Trying to get him to fess up about Sai's letter to Flay Allster," Tolle grinned triumphantly, confident he was on the verge of a great victory.

"Oh that," Sai remarked with amusement clear in his eyes as his yellow glasses sat further down his nose than normal.

"Looks like it was dud Tolle, better luck next time," Rick put in with a hearty chuckle.

"Yeah, that Flay Allster is not something Kira would want. I think that Lacus Clyne from the PLANTs would be more his speed," Sean remarked with a cheeky grin, "she is after all a high speed, high gee model," Sean added at the end and making Kira blush.

"Oh knock it off and let's get to work," Kira finally said after a moment or two to regain his composure and failing miserably.

* * *

Inside the dry dock for Earth Forces new Assault Carrier-type warship, _OES __Archangel_, an elite force of ZAFT commandoes, the Sword Breakers, placed high grade explosives at key points and areas that they could reach without getting caught by the guards after a successful infiltration of the colony and secret space dry dock. They quickly regrouped and exited the dock area secure in the knowledge that they had just sunk a new model ship of war at dock.

Then, when the timer hit zero, two ZAFT ships, the ones that the commandoes had come from, mobilized and began using their Electronic Counter Measures or ECM for short, to jam everything and anything to a degree so they wouldn't be affected either in the area.

Leading the attack was Rau Le Creuset, known throughout the Earth Sphere as the White Knight do to his appearance and his heroic feats since the Blockade of '69. He had learned of the Earth Forces secret G-Weapons Project and had gone after the development site, only to learn it had long since been moved. His command then set course for home only to run into a mercenary group that had attacked a ZAFT supply base and though put to rout, the group claimed a couple of their ZGMF-1017 GINNs and a ZGMF-515 CQUE, while damaging four others, including ace pilot Miguel Aiman's custom GINN. Of the damaged units, two were complete write offs and Miguel's mobile suit along with the third CQUE in their group had to be sent back to the PLANTs for repair with the relief vessels ferrying the base survivors, of which there were few, back to the PLANTS leaving them short on both pilots and machines, but fortune seemed to smile on them at that moment for they had lucky learned from a spy with information that led them to Heliopolis and sure enough, had gotten evidence, which is what had prompted the raid.

Though the attack had begun, things continued as normal in the colony, only that the Heliopolis Defense Force mobilized their force of three hard to come by GINNS, modified by Morgenroete Inc, and TS-MA2 Moebius Mobile Armor, but a group of dock workers scramble on their exhaust trails in MAW-01 Mistral Mobile Pods, another type of mobile armor, but meant more for worker details than battle assignments and it would show again as the HDF units are quickly defeated do their lack of combat experience. This leaves only the Mistrals and while the HDF pilots had been able to down two GINNs and damage a third, the ZAFT forces press their attack with five remaining suits. The resulting fight is completely uneven, but one of the Mistral pilots successfully damages a second GINN before being down and two GINNs then infiltrate the colony, even as the _Marseille III_-class, _OES Crescent Glow_, barely escapes the dock with its three mobile armor, two regular Moebius units and a TS-MA2mod.00 Moebius Zero.

The Hawk of Endymion enters yet another battle, but one too much to his dislike.

'_This is why I thought we would need a battle group!'_ the Hawk, Lieutenant (Senior Grade) Mu La Flaga, mentally griping for prior to the battle, he had thought it a bad idea to rely on Heliopolis, and by extension the United Emirates of Orb, neutrality.

Chancing a look back, the Hawk could see the dock was littered with Orb patrol vessels, neutral vessels, Junk Guild vessels, and civilian ships as well as debris and bodies. All of them shot to hell by the two GINNs that had gone into the colony and that wasn't all the damage. The insides of the dock were full of holes from shells and explosions and the control box had been hit and all inside killed from a direct hit.

'_At least they didn't suffer long enough to die in vacuum,'_ the Hawk thought with a grim feeling of peace he had come to know as he could tell High Explosive shells had been used and the dock personnel were dead the moment the control box took at least one or two bursts.

Luke and Gale then alerted him to the incoming GINNs. There were two directly to their front, one more just below them and a fourth that had hidden itself. The Hawk was no fool and alerted the _Crescent Glow_ to the fact that the enemy was short on machines. The captain, a Thomas Riley Brandon who was a thin aging captain looking forward to retirement, reported he knew and said they had lost all contact with the _Archangel_ and their people in Morgenroete.

The bombs having long gone off in the dry dock of the _Archangel_, destroying the dry dock and killing most of the personnel there. The explosions had been enough to blow apart several of Northrop-Grumman Shipyard Division's new _Manhattan_-class (_Magellan_-class in Eurasia do to a 'slight' internal/external reconfiguration) Battleships birthed next to each other. The power of the explosions would indeed have almost guaranteed that the colony might even suffer severe enough damage to destroy several critical points and relieve the colony of its atmosphere, but Morgenroete had really engineered new safety systems, but they were still pushed to their breaking point.

The attack had the intended effect of getting the Alliance and Orb troops to hurriedly get the G-Weapons to the _Archangel_, not knowing that while that was happening, the dock had also been bombed and that no one knew any longer what the situation was.

No one, but the ZAFT Sword Breakers and the ten pilots assigned to their ranks. While it had been confirmed that there was only five, the ZAFT commandoes had brought five additional pilots to round out their numbers, incase one, two, or, the Stars forbid, all five of the Red Coats were killed or rendered unable to pilot the machines. Still, the ZAFT forces were still confident, but three of the Red Coats were grim faced, not liking this one bit. The sight of three of the five trailers and the message was sent to where to make the attack run for the two infiltrating GINNs.

* * *

Inside Kato's Lab, everyone felt the explosions, it was akin to an earthquake, with Sai wondering if a stray asteroid had struck the colony, but two of the three adults knew what was happening. They nodded to one another and told May to stay with the children as the two took off. The group then left the Lab under May Bluefield's direction and went to the nearest stairs when Sai found the elevators and lifts to be out, much to the annoyance of May who asked the question why would they hurry into a deathtrap much to the group's embarrassment. They quickly forced open the door which had been somehow damaged and that is where they found out the truth.

"ZAFT GINNs are inside the colony!" one man said, clearly becoming panic.

At that moment, the blonde guest bolted down another hallway with Kira in hot pursuit. Kira chased the blonde down the hallway and both stopped dead, seeing Rick and Sean in a gun battle with ZAFT commandoes. The two had automatic weapons and the body armor off two dead Orb soldiers, clearly the ZAFT soldiers had killed them. As bullets whizzed by the two, Kira grabbed the blonde and dove into a side room, landing inches from two blood soaked ZAFT corpses, three dead Orb soldiers, and a dozen technical personnel from Morgenroete.

Kira at that moment discovers that the blonde is indeed a girl, though it was a wonder how he could forget. He couldn't not notice when his right hands is clutching one of her breasts and her hat is laying three feet to the left of them. Then he remembered what Rick and Sean had been saying about measurements that made no since to him. They had been referring to the girl's BODY measurements!

He was also quite sure now that they had been measuring up Miriallia against her and vice versa.

She screams and slaps Kira, dumbfounded, Kira can only say one thing, "you're a girl."

This off course sets hers off on another tirade about the issue as a grenade goes off and throws them over a table in the middle of the room. Kira gets up and notices a computer still on and sees a group of blueprints and solid pictures for the machines that are illustrated in the blueprints. They are all mobile suits and three data sticks sit ready to be removed.

Quickly looking over them Kira sees that there are eight Earth Forces mobile suits, as well as a battleship and three Orb mobile suits with another battleship, but some small bits of data that make no sense. The blond sees these as well, though missing the off to the side data. Then they freeze when they hear two people come up behind them. They turn their heads to see two ZAFT soldiers standing there, but a pair of control bursts and the two were felled, backs riddled with bullet holes and bleeding profusely, no denying they were dead.

"The Sword Breakers, but I don't see who could be commanding them, save one. One of the worst men in ZAFT and a coward to boot, Rau Le Creuset," a familiar voice says with a tone full of disdain.

"Mister Bluefield?" Kira asks.

Said man walks into plain sight and quickly finishes downloading all the files, making triplicates, on the computer terminal, before releasing a virus to destroy the information and as an added measure, shooting the computer hard drives until they spark and shut down.

"Someone made off with the Gold Astray," Sean walked in with an uneasy look, "mysteriously though, it would be minus an arm," shrugging at that possibility.

"The others?" asked Rick.

"Red and Blue are trapped, but the ZAFT are having a devil of a time trying to get the Strike and the Aegis, but they appear to not know about the remaining three units," Sean reported as he checked his weapon, a MA5B .30 caliber (7.62mm) Fullmetal Jacket (FMJ) Assault Rifle, formerly common to the Atlantic Federation Army Infantry, finding his magazine was down to half its normal capacity as indicated by the ammo counter.

"Orb Security troops?" the blonde asked cautiously.

"Nope, just employees, now…" turning to the two, "Get to West Block Shelter 38! Move, on the bounce!" Rick commanded and the two took off.

"Let's go, we need to get to our units and join this battle," Sean said finishing his inventory of spare rounds for both his rifle and the M7 Caseless Submachine Gun, better known as the Bullet Hose, to which Rick nodded, checking his own MA5B and his M6D .50 caliber (12.7mm) Semi-Armor Piercing High Explosive (SAPHE) side arm and the two were off.

The two had no way of knowing that Kira Yamato had just taken his first steps to becoming a legendary Ace of Aces himself, whose skill would surpass the Crimson Eagle and the other Four Masters of Lunar and all the top aces of the war. They had no way of knowing that the path the two would take, would lead them through the battle for the Aegis and the Strike. Nor did they know that others had taken shelter in the shelters that they had sent the two to. They knew none of that as they fought their way through the maze of demolition that was once one of the finest technical schools and factories in the Earth Sphere.

These factors would lead Kira Yamato back to his the battle site, have an encounter with his long time friend Athrun Zala, and start the journey that would lead to him becoming known as the Sword of Freedom.

But for now, Kira and his blonde acquaintance were running for their lives. They ran through the constantly shifting building as new sections were destroyed or the building swayed as it took damage that the builders hadn't thought about. They soon emerged into the light and to their horror; two mobile suits were in a maintenance area below them. It didn't take the two long to conclude that it was part of the factory and that the two mobile suits had been prepped for battle.

"Mobile suits!? HERE?" Kira gasped in shock at the sight his face the picture of shock and disbelief.

"I knew it," the blonde said dispassionately on the verge of collapse, "the Earth Force's new mobile suit weapons," tears began to fall as she cried out full of sorrow, "FATHER WHY HAVE YOU BETRAYED US ALL?!"

Down in the middle of the fire fight, one of the orange clad technicians turned and fired up at the sudden noise. Normally, this would not have occurred, but she was a ship's officer and a technical specialist, not an ordinary Marine or Infantry and thus was out of her realm. Which also showed as her aim had been off, hitting the railing, though one round did graze the girl's cheek.

Kira grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her back to her feet and took off running telling her to worry later and run at that time while leaving a confused Alliance officer in their tracks that remained so for two or three seconds until a repeated pinging sound reminded her of the battle she was fighting.

* * *

In a junkyard at the edge of a field of flowers, a young girl was laying atop one of her many junk piles sunbathing in the nude. She was listening to her favorite music and had the headphones on. So at first she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, though she had a great view of the space battle going on, but was sound asleep. Not even the quake caused from the bombs woke her. It was the pair of GINNs that flew right over her and the sounds of nearby heavy fighting when her headphones had come off that did wake her.

She looked out and saw all the destruction and came to a conclusion (correct conclusion) that Rau Le Creuset was attacking the colony or more aptly, he was attacking Morgenroete Inc with the colony's survival low on his priority list, _'non-existent is more like it.'_ She quickly took off for her office and began getting things ready. A little while later, a jeep pulled up and two men in cloaks dismounted and ran into the office. They promptly ran out with various things following them.

"Geez! You'll think she'll remember to put clothes on!" complained Sean as he tried to clear the ringing in his ears and massage the back of his head.

"Ok you can come in," called the woman.

"Jun it's not like we don't trust you or are in one of the biggest hurries..." he trailed off as she came out, clearly unarmed, only wearing a towel. Rick could hear Sean grinding his teeth. An explosion nearby settle the argument as the three ran to their machines.

* * *

Meanwhile, back with the two teens, they had successfully arrived at the designated shelter. As they arrived, Kira found one that still had its speaker active. He immediately requested to be brought in with the girl, but was informed they could not take anymore in. Kira was told to go to another shelter, but h requested that the girl get taken in. The request was granted as they had just enough room for one more.

"Thank you," Kira said and started to struggle with the blond to get her into the elevator, but he was stronger then her and more clear headed which allowed him to force her in as she began to cry as he smiled gently, in a way that was only him.

"My name is Cagalli!" she yelled as the door to the lift closed and she was lowered down and Kira nodded and mouthed his name as she disappeared, before taking off to the other shelter…

… The other shelter located on the far side of the raging battlefield.

* * *

Outside the colony, the three lone mobile armors desperately were trying to hold off the ZAFT advance. They and their ship had indeed launched in the nick of time as the port had been captured and destroyed by the two ZAFT mobile suit infiltrators. At that moment one of the three mobile armors, a plain TAS-02 Moebius, was sliced in two and the pilot hurled into the vacuum of space.

As Gale floated, he awaited the end, idly wondering which would be less painful, waiting or snapping the seals on his helmet, but a Zero appeared in front of him with a mobile suit. The mobile suit successfully rescued him and transported him back to the colony, while the Zero engaged and destroyed the offending mobile suit. This created a fuss, especially when a low, bear-like growl was issued forth over all comm. channels.

"Lieutenant La Flaga, it can't be the..." Luke started.

"It is, the Grizzly Bear, Ensign Justin 'Grizzly' Glick," Lieutenant Senior Grade Mu 'Peregrine' La Flaga cut in.

"Mind if I play too Mu, Rau, or is this a private party?" the Bear asked rhetorically as he began to dance with two more GINNs.

It was at that moment he saw and evaded the fire from the GAT-X303 Aegis. He growled warningly over the radio at the pilot, who went straight back to his ship, the _Nazca_-class _Vesalius_. When the GAT-X105 Strike failed to appear, a smile appeared on Bear's face.

'_They have only four of eight and that means a mission failed and a complete disaster!'_ he thought, but he knew the causalities and damages alone would probably say they came in about even, but still, as long as half the machines weren't captured, it was a major defeat to ZAFT.

* * *

The fighting inside the colony was another thing though, especially before the two appearances outside of the colony.

A lone GINN, surprisingly clothed in a brown cloak, marched up to the two other GINNs. The two turned to review the new comer.

"_Identify yourself!"_ one voice called out.

"Reckless as always Miguel Aiman, or perhaps should I call you the Magic Bullet of Dusk? What a weak name for such a fallen pilot," the new comer responded with a direct tone of hostility and superiority.

"_Eagleton? You're alive and here? What's going on?"_ demanded the Magic Bullet confused as his he blinked at the sight of a clothed GINN.

"Never speak to superiors like that boy. Now your murderous rampage ends here, as does your treason," replied Eagleton, making his tone even out into a neutral point while still leaving the air of superiority with a touch of righteousness that would surely anger the blonde pilot.

"_WHAT? I'm no murder and certainly no traitor, you deserter!"_ Miguel roared back moving his GINN to fight his opponent as goaded.

At that moment an explosion occurred and the X105 Strike and X303 Aegis appeared. Miguel looked happy at the sight of the two, but had to check.

"_Athrun!"_ Miguel called out happily as he smiled at the sight of the two machines, confidence in his every facial feature, then he got a bitter pill that changed all that back to anger.

"_Rusty failed, an Earth Forces officer is in control of the other unit,"_ Athrun Zala reported, but there was something off with Athrun, for he seemed reluctant to say more.

"With holding information in a battle is a court-marshal offense, punishable only by life or death," Eagleton radioed Athrun.

"_Commander Eagleton, sir! I wasn't aware you were here, sir!"_ Athrun reported quite nervous and surprised to see the GINN, not expecting anything like that and so he automatically fell back on his Academy training.

"Don't bother, I can guess and that guess is Kira Yamato, right," Eagleton stated rather than ask the obvious as he knew from Kira and from Athrun of their friendship, but had never told the other, one because he wasn't around and it wouldn't do to let Kira know that Athrun was fighting for revenge, but had no clear personal objective in this war.

That was something that had always bothered Crim and he didn't bother to explain it to the always nervous Athrun when they crossed paths as Crim treated Athrun, and for that manner many in ZAFT, with an indifference that undermined them in confidence.

Athrun seemed reluctant to answer and his mobile just stood there and Crim was reminded of why he didn't like the pretend soldier named Athrun Zala, but still held great respect to Miguel Aiman, though he felt that the blond had fallen too far from the path they had been on.

"Attacking an Orb Military R&D and disputing Orb Military mobile suit research is something I cannot let you get away with. Don't bother; Kira's loyalties are to his friends and homeland, not to the PLANTs or ZAFT, especially the latter. Your father is mad…" Eagleton's cold statement was interrupted.

"_Enough!" _shouted the fiery mad Miguel and Athrun.

"Very well, then, die," as he finished with a cool indifference that few could achieve in battle, his trademark Eagle's Cry sounded throughout the colony.

The Crimson Eagle flew straight at the Aegis, discarding his cloak, the dual kodichis made contact on the tough Phase-Shift Armor that quickly came to life. The attack was meant to distract him and keep Athrun busy and out of the second fight now going on. Yet, the old, but upgraded GINN that Eagleton had been using since his graduation from the Academy back in June of 67 was beginning to show its age. Still young as technology goes, this particular GINN was heavily customized to adapt to the pilot, but because of the heavy fighting it had seen and surviving the destruction of the Endymion Supply Base and the destruction of a hospital ship and lack of its maintenance crew, the Aegis was proving far more difficult with the Aegis breaking away and destroying a pair of missiles and then the M212 Missile High Wheeled Mobility Vehicle, 'Ohka,' that had belonged to the HDF that had fired them.

No survivors

The Strike and Miguel had begun to fight while the third GINN didn't know what to do, having come to retrieve the remaining commandoes, but with only Athrun left and his GINN damaged, the young pilot had no idea of what to do and stood there, though not for a bad reason. The pilot had idolized the great ZAFT Master of Aces, Crim "Crimson Eagle" Eagleton, but now he didn't know what to do. That inaction caused him almost an arm and a leg, because a fourth GINN snuck up behind him and impaled him on a lance. The pilot barely survived, but would end up in an Orb military prison until he was released shortly before Orb was pulled into the war, but he would follow another than Patrick Zala.

His attacker was none other than the famed Lunar Cherry Blossom and boy, did she ever earn it. She once shot down a pair of Zeroes and a trio of regular Moebius Mobile Armor at the Battle of Jachin Due. By the time she arrived on the moon, her white with pink flowers GINN was already quite famous, but here she had destroyed 4 Zeroes and 16 other mobile armor with-in four days, getting two Zeroes on a Sunday. The Crimson Eagle hadn't even racked up that kind of score in such a short time, but he was by far the highest ranked ace on both sides. He had shot down or damaged 49 Moebius units and 11 Zeroes as well as sinking 12 ships (including two carriers, single handedly) and damaging 15 others as far back as the Blockade Run of 69. He also had taught the Blossom most of her tricks. He even taught at the ZAFT military Academy and served briefly on the ZAFT planning command. Beyond that he just fought on the frontlines.

Now the Aegis decided to leave. Athrun spotted the second suit, faded like the Eagle's, but still dangerous like a rose. Athrun called out to Miguel, only to have to intercept two missiles heading for him. Then Athrun destroyed another unlucky Ohka that had fired them. Eagle let loose on Athrun, but Athrun had already started to flee from the battlefield, just as Miguel's mobile suit explodes. Miguel escapes, but barely. Athrun grabbed him and both fled, were they have a brief encounter with the Grizzly Bear.

* * *

Now the Grizzly Bear differs as he was not a Zero volunteer like the rest, he received orders with several others to report to the Third Lunar Fleet for re-assignment to the Zeroes. They were second only to the more experience members of the Zeroes, including Mu La Flaga, the Hawk of Endymion, which placed them dead last in the Zero Corps. He quickly gained a reputation as he and the other re-assignments had been detached and order to join the Battle of Junius Cluster. They saw first hand the destruction of the ill-fated PLANT of the cluster and even had the bodies of civilians bounce off their Zeroes. Needless to say they complained big time about the use of Nuclear weapons.

Even so, they said that they were committed to battle and successfully shot down large numbers of mobile suits. The Grizzly Bear personally shot down three CQUEs in the Battle of Nova, a record only surpassed by Mu La Flaga's five mobile suits, four CQUEs and a GINN HM, at the Battle of Endymion.

It was said that Grizzly's low growl had earned him the nickname, so it was said, 'Don't Mess with bears, or you'll get a hug," a reference to Grizzly's love and skills of Greco-Roman Wrestling, despite not really looking the part.

It was also derived from the fact that he destroyed a pair of ZGMF-1017 High Maneuverability GINNS with his gun barrel wires, by wrapping them around them tightly and then going the opposite direction. Combine that with the growl and only the infantry was brave enough hang around him. Though that was because he had a soft spot for them, and since he had been one himself, he knew the talk and the walk and how much the tab would be at the end of the night.

As the fighting continued, the Grizzly Bear knew the game was up for him as his mobile armor needed ammo, parts, and repairs. He growled in annoyance, and then keyed La Flaga.

"Peregrine, Grizzly here, Winchester and the hull's had it for now."

Flares and the ZAFT suits withdrew, "I'll take that kid in with me and you look for Rau Le Creuset, go it?"

"Copy, Luke!"

"Roger, falling—CQUE!" Luke barely managed to eject and make his way to the colony via EVA thrusters of the equipped flight pack.

Grizzly picked him up and flew on to the colony. Both 'Cool Hands' Luke and 'Stormy' Gale found themselves inside of a shelter, after all, Gale had a broken leg and several cracked ribs and Luke was suffering from the effects of punching out of a Moebius doing Mach .89 in a Zero-Gee environment. It would be several weeks before he could hope to keep his lunch down and with no word from the _Archangel_ both had to be stuffed in with the civilians.

The two would survive the war as flight instructors and get reassigned to the Top Gun Academy in Miramar, California after the war.

* * *

Inside the Colony roughly an hour later, Lieutenant (Senior Grade) Murrue Ramuis could not believe her eyes as she looked upon two of the most feared GINNs in ZAFT. She had come to after a while and saw the two ZAFT pilots just standing off to one side, playing poker. They were completely ignoring the Strike as if it was a standard issue mobile suit and an unpopular model at that. She saw the slimmer of the two throw her cards down and start to beat the table they were at. Her companion reached his hand over and calmed her down. A second female in a lab coat walked over to the two and seemed to start to berate them. The male quickly hid behind the female.

"So much for male dominance," Murrue mussed and then realized, "THE STRIKE!"

She quickly drew her pistol and fired a warning shot at the kids messing around with the mobile suit. Everyone was up on the bounce, but in the case of the threesome, behind the nearest up-ended table. Positioning herself, between the Strike and the large group she called the other three out. They obeyed and stepped forwarded.

"I know who two of you, or rather I have a pretty good guess, but as for the rest of you…" she trailed off not needing to complete what she was saying.

"Tolle Koenig, technical student and a part timer at Morgenreate."

"Miriallia Haw, the same."

"Sai Argyle, technical same."

"Kuzzey Buskirk, the same, but we're Naturals."

"Kira Yamato, same, but I'm also a First Generation Coordinator," he was honest, though three of his friends grasp, while the fourth just shrugged.

"Lina Joule, ZAFT weapons R&D and I'm a civilian contractor," May Bluefield came clean. "I've been in hiding from ZAFT for some time now."

"Former-ZAFT Commander Crim Eagleton, Team Eagleton, serial number ZMF-3754-X114-39Z, I too have been in hiding, posing as Rick Bluefield and Miss Joule has been posing as my wife, long story short, we three," motioning to himself, Lina Joule, and the other ZAFT pilot, "are deserters, but staunch loyal patriots of the PLANTs," Rick Bluefield said, also coming clean, _'or is he,'_ Murrue thought, he looked vaguely familiar to her.

"Former-ZAFT Commander Sakura Ryosouke, Team Ryosouke, serial number ZMF-9564-X130-49B, please to meet'cha," Jun Yamasaki came clean with a wide grin that was some how honest despite the situation.

"I'm Lieutenant Murrue Ramuis of the OMNI Enforcer, Eight Lunar Fleet. As three of you are well aware, you've all seen highly classified military secrets. Therefore I cannot let you go until I contact the appreciate authority," Murrue said.

"Which wouldn't matter as half of the machines are in the Le Creuset Team's hands and if that isn't a security breach, and then I don't know what is," Crim replied with sarcasm.

"How do you know so much?" Murrue questioned.

A new voice spoke out, "Who do you think was building them and the Orb military's own prototypes."

"Mister Hayes!" Mir exclaimed excitedly as the man in question appeared.

"Actually Mir, it's not Sean Hayes, the name's Justin Glick, OMNI Enforcer Third Lunar Fleet, Zero Corps, serial number AFSF-9678-X127-9B84-CEJ3. I, too, am a deserter, but from the Earth Forces," Sean Hays came clean.

"What are you doing here?" Murrue said slightly afraid, especially since she was only with the M45A4 .45 calibers Semi-Automatic Naval Sidearm trained on the larger group, but the larger M6G Magnum .50 calibers with Heavy Slug rounds pointed at her.

"Let's put the guns away, Kira try calling any Earth Forces in the area, Sai get the number 5 trailer from Sector 35-South Block, Miriallia tend to Lieutenant Ramuis and make sure she sits down and stays down for a time, Kuzzey and Tolle help with the reload of the GINNs, move it people on the bounce!" Crim snapped off orders and everyone ran about, doing their assigned task.

"My Zero had it in the last fight, without mechanics and a complete and proper overhaul, she'll never fly again," Justin reported sadly.

"Cheer up! Didn't the files say that the GAT-X One-Two-Seven had a completed OS for Naturals to pilot the thing?" Crim said with a bit of a smile.

"Yeah, you're right! They did and it's also my particular type, especially with the HMD equipment," Justin was grinning like a boy about to get his first bike.

"How'd do you two know about the OS and HMD of the X-One-Two-Seven?" Murrue asked and the two showed her the data sticks.

"We made copies!" Justin said with a huge grin.

"What do you expect two employees to do? Abandon their employers most vital data and secrets and besides, we killed a dozen or so ZAFT commandoes for the information, so we have no friends in ZAFT as of then," Crim said sadly.

"Oh!" Murrue noted his down spirits earlier, but unlike the others, she heard, _"again,"_ added so softly, she would have missed it if she hadn't had previous first hand experience with soft speakers.

The group went about their business and moved as fast as possible. Sai returned with the Number 5 trailer, pulling another trailer, this one marked GF4 on the side, when asked, he said it was already like that, but said he saw what appeared to be mobile suits, abandon on flatbeds. Kira also reported no luck calling for help, which disheartened a number of the group. The three pilots just nodded to one another and took off for the three abandon suits, their gear was done for and they needed the new suits. The remaining group began to probe the GF4 trailer in their absence.

After they left, Tolle just had to ask.

"Miss Bluefield… I mean Miss Joule," Tolle began to speak to her, correcting himself in mid sentence.

"Yes Tolle?" she said, noting he must have figured it out.

"Umm… Are you sure you two aren't actually married?" Tolle had a bit of an embarrass blush across his face.

"Yes Tolle, we're not married. Though his real wife was sure one lucky woman to have him for a husband. He only thinks of her and their two children, even now," she said with a bit of a laugh and a bit of sadness as they did in fact do things like a married couple and their had been results.

"Okay, sorry! I just… well… you know!" he yelled the last part, though he had seen her right hand go to her stomach and knew that they...

"I know, I know," she said, but now Murrue thought of something, but Lina caught her look.

"Yes, my sister is one of the chairpersons of the Supreme Council Miss Ramuis. We differ on the issue of Coordinator-Natural co-existence, though it had not always been so. My being here ought to prove that," the woman had a sad look on her face at being on the different side in a war against her sister before turning back to the brunette, "Later, if there is a later with the way things are, you'll understand. The four of us and others are political refugees wanting no more of this war," she said with a weary tone that showed on her face and in her posture.

Murrue nodded her head, her hand going to her locket. She would always think of him, and his best friend. The two were just too much to bear together and too much apart. They were always getting into fights, but they were the best of friends, though one was claimed by the Ptolemaeus Insurrection and the other by ZAFT forces at Jachin Due. She felt some tears beginning to sting her eyes, when she heard a rather large explosion, turning and facing the area with the blast had occurred, she realized with horror that the Strike had yet to mount the pack.

"Hurry and mount the Striker Pack!" she yelled and ran towards the kneeling mobile suit.

At once, Kira was on it, the sounds of fierce fighting coming closer by the second, just as the pack was mounted and his Phase-Shift engaged, a white CQUE began its attack run on the unprotected people and the two GINNs. Kira reacted by firing the anti-ship Gatling cannon on the Strike's right shoulder. The CQUE evaded, as a thunderous explosion occurred and rising majestically out of the ground was the new and mighty _Archangel_, her white hull glistening in the artificial sunlight and sky of the colony, promising hope and peace.

* * *

Well, this one is now overhauled and some additions made to throw a whole lot of loops de loops!

R and R!


	3. Search and Rescue

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

"**_The Endymion Ghosts"_**

**_Chapter Two: "Heliopolis Search and Rescue"_**

The White CQUE wavered at the sight. Rau Le Creuset was cursing the fact that the ship had survived relatively undamaged. Then three smaller explosions occurred and three mobile suits appeared. Each defined by their unique coloring. White and light red, the Lunar Cherry Blossom. Crimson red with cobalt blue, the Crimson Eagle. The last one green and brown, but all three had an appearance similar to that of the Strike, but these were the GAT-X108 Woodland Strike, the GAT-X106 Highland Strike, and the GAT-X107 Field Strike. All three came out ready to fight. The Highland was carrying the Sword Striker Pack, the Field was carrying a special artillery pack, the Ramfire Striker Pack, and the Woodland landed carrying the Aile Striker Pack. All four machines easily had a larger amount of firepower than the lone CQUE. Yet, only three of the four pilots had any real experience, and of that, one was trigger happy when it came to big guns.

"PLEASE CRIM! Let me fire off a few shots!" Sakura was practically begging her senior.

"Unless you want to destroy the colony, no and that's final. Besides I said NOT to mount that equipment, but NOOO you went and did it anyway," he bit back.

"YOU'RE A BIG MEANIE!" the young 17 year old female yelled back.

"Are you sure she's not your wife, all things consider, you have a thing for old guns and swords?" Justin inquired, with a slight smirk.

"SHUT UP!" they both roared at him.

"Enemy CQUE and… the…" Justin was lost at the sight of such a beautiful ship.

"She survived that kind of attack…. What a ship!" Sakura was in awe.

"As beautiful as a rose, as majestic as the sky, shine forth mighty Angel, shine forth with wings of radiate white light of hope and strength… Now FLY FORTH _ARCHANGEL_!" called out Crim.

* * *

The ship seemed to respond as its AA defenses activated and the CQUE began to run evasion maneuvers. Then it tried a strafing run, only to be stopped by a powerful blast from the Agni Cannon. The shot tore off an arm and a leg and threw Rau Le Creuset tumbling out into space as his mobile suit was thrown about like a rag doll. A hole had been opened in the side of the colony, in which the CQUE had been thrown through smoke was clearly billowing from its ravaged frame, as well as the pink smoke of atmosphere.

* * *

**On the Bridge of _Archangel_**

"Approaching dock exit hatchway… exit hatchway non-responsive," Chief Petty Officer Arnold Neumann reported.

"Prepare to fire the assault cannons," ordered Ensign Natarle Badgiruel. "Maximum speed, all defenses on alert, we'll most likely be entering a battlefield. CIC, once clear, begin scanning for allies and enemies."

Down in CIC sat two women, one was also an Ensign, but the other was a Junior Grade Lieutenant. Both had been in the service longer, and one had seen more construction of more ships, but they both lacked space-based battle experience. Now they were going to get it. Both thumbed their control sticks for weapons, though the defenses would be on auto, but continued their work of preparing the sensors. IFF ID codes would need to organize on the fly to ensure that the ship wouldn't end up like so many other Earth Forces ships.

The massive Positron Cannons known as the Lohengins were charged as the covers for them opened and the ship's laser designators locked in on the exit. The big guns reached full power and fired, obliterating the hatchway in seconds causing a humongous explosion, through which the mighty ship sailed through and onto the battlefield.

"One CQUE, two GINNs, four G-Weapons, and TWO ZEROES!" cried out one of the CIC Ensign.

"Morgenroete has been destroyed," reported CPO 2nd Class Jackie Tonomura.

"One Zero and the 4 Strikes are in battle with the CQUE, the second Zero and the two GINNs are not activate at this time, but the GINNs colors seem faded and they look vaguely familiar," reported the CIC LT(JG).

"THE STRIKE'S FIRING THE AGNI!" cried out CPO2 Tonomura.

"Severe damage to the colony has been taken!"

"Severe damage my foot! There's a huge hole in its side!"

"The CQUE was caught by the attack and is severely damage and leaking atmosphere."

"CQUE is also being sucked out into space."

"The GINNs haven't even moved, no signs of the pilots, you don't suppose…"

"Not likely or the Strikes would be attacking us."

"Enough! Prepare for landing, match the ship to the gyro-rotation of the colony and prepare for gravity. Alert all hands that the _Archangel_ is landing to take on ally survivors," Ensign Badgiruel ordered.

**Exit Bridge of the _Archangel

* * *

_**

The mighty warship began its approach and gently touched down on the ground of Heliopolis. Immediately, surviving soldiers, Morgenroete employees, and Heliopolis civilians began to crowd around the ship. There were actually very few, but once all the hatches started to open, they flooded aboard while the four Strikes and the flying Zero landed aboard ship.

The group of teens and LT (SG) Ramius were dropped off from the X105 Strike. Ms. Joule was aside the Highland Strike pilot lap. They both went down the zip line together. Then the other two pilots disembarked from their suits. Almost at once, Ensign Badgiruel, the other two officers, and a dozen or so men, including CPO 1st Class Kojiro Murdoch the chief mechanic, ran up to the Senior Grade junior officer.

"Glad to see that you're safe LT Ramius, we all feared the worst when we saw Morgenroete," ENS Badgiruel greeted with a salute, as did the others.

"I'm glad that you managed to keep the ship safe and your appearance helped change the tide of battle," she returned the salutes.

"My, my, this is one tough ship," a new voice boomed.

"Lieutenant Mu La Flaga, 7th Orbital Fleet, my ship was sunk in battle and I don't have anywhere else to go. I'm requesting permission to come aboard, where's the Captain?" Lt. La Flaga inquired.

It was at that time that Ensign Badgiruel informed both Lt. Ramius and Lt. La Flaga of the deaths of all senior, including the Captain, officers, except for the Junior Grade and Lt. Ramius. When La Flaga inquired about the mobile suit pilots, he was informed they had been with the Captain.

"What an unmitigated disaster, well anyway, please except my request to come aboard Captain Ramius," Lt. La Flaga asked.

Still slightly in shock at the news of all other officers and the 8 pilots, it took Lt. Ramius a couple of moments to respond.

"Huh, OH! Yes, permission granted Lt. La Flaga," she replied. "Anyway, I'm Lt. Murrue Ramius, Sector 2, 5th Special Division, 8th Lunar Fleet.

"Ensign Natarle Badgiruel, the same."

"Lieutenant Junior Grade Sara James, also the same outfit."

"Ensign Loretta Red-Rains, I'm also in the same division."

At that moment, looking through the small group, Lt. La Flaga brought the attention from himself to the three pilots and one scientist off by three of the Strikes. He jerked his head to the left and got the response of the head being jerked to the right, the universal system used by the Zero pilots of the 3rd Fleet to take notice of one another when eye contact is established.

"Been alive Lucky, so where have you been?" Lt. La Flaga asked.

"Here, after a brief period on another neutral colony. A lot of Endymion survivors are there, but I ain't gonna tell where the colony is," Ensign Glick answered.

"Why?" Ensign Badgiruel was glaring at him.

"Because there are a lot of ZAFT deserters there too and they chose to sit this war out and they have a very damn good reason too," he responded glaring back.

"So I take it that those two are truly the Crimson Eagle and the Lunar Cherry Blossom, ZAFT's highest ranked aces, including the Master of Aces and winner of the Order of the Nebula," Lt. La Flaga gave a look that said that-wasn't-a-question.

"We are, and this is Lina Joule, sister-in-law to Repensenitive Joule," COM Eagleton spoke.

"So what'cha gonna do about it?" asked COM Ryosouke with a sly smirk on her face.

"Nothing at this time," Lt. James said, while signaling the guards to level their weapons at them.

At that critical moment, Kira Yamato had opened the X105's hatch and had begun to descend to the deck.

"What the hell is going on, somebody tell me that kid wasn't piloting that thing. He's too young, just learned how to shave too," CPO1 Murdoch exclaimed.

"His name is Kira Yamato, a technical student here on Heliopolis and apparently a part time employee at Morgenreote, as are the other civilians. I don't know why he was in the factory district during the attack, but he was able to pilot the Strike and fend off a GINN," Lt. Ramius said, leaving out the Coordinator part.

"3rd Squad level arms at the boy, he's a Coordinator as well," ordered Lt. James.

Tolle stepped in between 3rd Squad and Kira, glaring daggers at the soldiers.

"Stand down, I have seniority here Lt. James, don't step out of line," Lt. Ramius warned dangerously.

"Captain I request an explanation of this," asked ENS Badgiruel.

"He already admitted to me that he was a 1st Generation Coordinator and when you stop to think about it, Heliopolis is a neutral state, it shouldn't be surprising to find Coordinators on this colony, coupled with Ensign Glick's report that there are other Coordinators sitting this war out on another colony, well, it shouldn't be too hard to believe that not everyone wants to be apart of this war," she said.

"True," Ensign Red-Rains agreed.

"Still, they are…" Lt. James was interrupted.

"Well this is slowly becoming explosive," Lt. La Flaga remarked, "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."

"No trouble Lt. La Flaga, things like this are to be expected in a war," Lt. Ramius replied.

"Now that's done, what about the civvies wanting and that are on board this ship?" question Eagleton.

"Forgot about that, there might be a chance of…"

"Only ZAFT soldiers anywhere near here are in uniform Ensign Red-Rains, outside of that, maybe other deserters and neutral Coordinators. Oh, and as to why Kira was in District 38, me and Bear sent him that way to avoid breathing vacuum as the shelters in Blocks 30-36 were full or blown to kingdom come," Eagleton said.

"How many civilians were killed?" asked Lt. James.

"One too many and one too many more trapped," his reply was not morale lifting.

"Just let the civilians aboard and when you get this ship to the 8th Fleet, they can be off-loaded there," Lina Joule spoke up.

"Agreed, now for supplies," Lt. Ramius began to change the subject.

"We three will get our old machines aboard ship, but only the GINNs are mobile, the Zero is shot up pretty bad and needs an overhaul," Eagleton brought up.

"Agreed, now let's begin, we don't have much time if Le Creuset attacks again," Lt. La Flaga turned to head to the bridge.

People got very worry about that news. The Le Creuset Team was a fearsome foe, but Eagle blew them off as cowards and said that they wouldn't be able to launch a successful attack on the ship. The colony, though, was another matter. Everyone dove into doing the work that was needed. Weapons, ammo, spare parts, and other supplies the ship and the mobile complement would need was given priority over food and water, but some civilians had brought some food and water aboard, not much, but better than nothing.

ENS Glick requested permission to go out and collect some personal belongings. Captain (Acting) Ramius agreed to that, but when he asked for help and gave names, she was hesitant and when reminded that the shelters were in lock down, they would have no where to go. She finally agreed, but LT (JG) James then objected, but was quieted by ENS Red-Rains who said that she would go as well. The captain gave her permission, but told them to be quick.

* * *

Out in space, Le Creuset was furious, though it didn't show. His commandoes had captured 4 of 5 mobile suits, only to learn that there were 3 more and they fell into the hands of the enemy. What's worse is that Crim Eagleton had turned up alive with Sakura Ryosouke and the Dark Side Bear, Justin Glick. He had started out the mission with 14 mobile suits, but now he had only 6 operational GINNs and the 4 G-Weapons that had been captured. He did not know what to do at this point.

"Commander let's just destroy the colony!" Yzak Joule yelled.

"That wouldn't be wise Yzak," Commander Le Creuset cautioned him.

"SO! They claim to be a…" Yzak was interrupted.

"It would be like us attacking Junius Seven!" Athrun Zala yelled at Yzak, losing his trade mark cool.

"Athrun calm down and Yzak," Yzak turned to look at his commanding officer, "he's right. We can't attack the colony. For some time it has been kept secret, but Eagleton's beliefs that the war was effectively over has bled in much of our forces. To attack the colony would split ZAFT in two."

"But he betrayed ZAFT!" Yzak defended.

"Yes, he did, but remember that he said that the war was effectively over, that means that due to the split in the Supreme Council, the majority of those who want to continue the war are in the military while the rest are civilians by trade. A civil war is something we don't need," Le Creuset said.

"Now that's done, Athrun, what did Eagleton mean when he said something about a Kira Yamato and something about no loyalty to the motherland and ZAFT? Did you run into another ZAFT deserter?" Miguel Aimen asked.

"No, but Kira is a Coordinator, a First Generation one at that," Athrun answered, with audible gasps from everyone, except Le Creuset.

"Why was he there in Morgenreote?" asked the commander.

"A whiz when it comes to computers, but naïve in everything else. I wouldn't be surprised if his lack of reality is often joked about," Athrun said.

"Hmm… A computer whiz…. Capture him, he may have been helping develop the enemy's Operating Systems," Le Creuset ordered.

"Yes sir!" the assembled pilots said, but Nicol Amafli brought up an important fact.

"How?"

"Prepare to use D-Class Weapons Package, when data extraction is complete, the new machines shall join the offensive. Reinforcements are on the way, so we just have to hold till than," Le Creuset said.

The four red suits stood as the green suits filed off to launch into battle.

* * *

Miriallia was looking around for what she could take and leave. Her parents were gone and she had already been to her own home. Now she and the others were raiding Flay Allster, one of her friend's home. They carried off much of the food, but ENS Glick pointed out that they wouldn't be able to return any time soon and the colonies survival was given a low percentage. With the Captain's permission, they were now collecting various belongings from all the homes they could before the next attack, that way, survivors could get some of their belongings back no problem and the next of kin of the deceased could get something to remember them by.

As Miriallia worked through Flay's clothes, Kira and Tolle enter, bickering a bit. She sighed at what was the topic now, Kira taking a pair of Flay's underwear. She wondered if the two Ensigns down below could hear and sure enough, "Tolle! Kira's type would be Lacus Clyne, the Pink Princess of the PLANTs, Flay's third rate in comparison!" ENS Glick yelled up.

Kira was absolutely red in the face, from both embarrassment and the fact that he had found out from Lt. La Flaga who Lacus Clyne is.

"Only the most beautiful and popular, not to mention rich and kind person there was ever has been in the PLANTs. Not to mention she a very famous singer and pop idle," La Flaga had told him.

He had asked why and had roared with laughter at what Kira had told him. La Flaga had said, "Those two are so right, you two would be an ideal couple."

Kira was now though glad that Tolle had finally stopped, but… where did Tolle go?

"TOLLE!" Miriallia cried out.

"What, I can get Kira to have a pair, but the look on Sai's face would be priceless if he found a pair among his own things," Tolle said with a grin.

Miriallia had to grin at that too, the images that had formed in her head had caused her to break out laughing. Kira has also started to laugh a bit too, that was until Tolle stuffed a second pair in his pocket.

"TOLLE!" Kira yelled.

"Alright, geez! I figure you could give them to Lacus Clyne when the two of you meet," Tolle still had a grin that made Kira nervous, especially considering that Mir was still laughing, but harder.

Pulling the pair out of his pocket, Kira saw written on them, 'Property of Kira Yamato.' Flay had obliviously liked him at one point and not to long ago either. Kira decided to stuff them in a small pocket inside his coat and zipped it.

"NOT—ONE—WORD," Kira said.

The two nodded and the three went back to work gathering things up. While down stairs, Ensign Glick was standing guard and Ensign Red-Rain just sighed.

* * *

"It has been some time Loretta," Justin had finally spoken to her.

"Yes, your alive and I can touch and feel you once more and not just see and hear you Justin," she pulled a locket from out behind of her shirt and opened it. It was a rare holo-locket, very rare.

She pressed the button in the center and a full miniaturized version of Justin Glick in his old infantry uniform stood there and saluted.

"_**My love that reminds me of a fresh spring rain on Earth, Loretta, I'm now sure you can see that I'm just a low ranked Lance Corporal in the Lunar-based Jump Infantry. I pray you are not mad, I love and want to be with you, but as you know, regs forbid us from being together. I will miss you, we're going on a covert mission, word has it Mars, but I doubt that. Being seeing you my sweet Ensign Loretta Red-Rains."**_

"You kept it all this time. Its only been 4 years since then and the mission was to Mars. A terrorist group believing that they could rule the Earth better with a police state government was there. Took us several months to get there and we were there for about two years, then we came home. You were what, 16 years old and I was 19 years, first combat tour."

"I was fourteen Justin, 14 years old. I also don't regret it that night one bit. My parents were furious that I was a mother before I was 16 years old. It was only three months to my birthday and I would be 15 years old. Still, while my mother was furious, father agreed to help me. Lately I only use his name, I still graduated with top marks, but I spent most of this war as a secretary to my father that was until he had been killed at Endymion."

"I kinda of figured that myself, he must of seen the holo-locket, because he rode me like a horse when it came to my duties and off time. Protective, wasn't he, well it was Rau Le Creuset who personally shot down your father's ship. I was furious and attacked him and almost died, but then La Flaga flew in and saved my life. He destroyed 3 GINNs and had a nice dogfight going with him, but Creuset gave him the slip and escaped, then the base blew."

"Due you want to know where your twins are?" Loretta asked.

Justin's head turned so fast he lost balance and fell into her and they both went to the ground, in the same fashion when they first met, his right hand clasping her left breast and their lips locked together.

"Four years all over again, so where are my children?" he asked, kissing her once more.

"They're with my uncle Athha, in Orb," she said, holding him to herself.

"That's right, if Cagalli Yula Athha buys the farm, you become the next Repensenitive of Orb," he said, picking her off the ground.

They probably would have gone farther if Mir had not come down the stairs at that time and gasped at the position they had ended up in. The two broke away, blushing like mad, but then Justin took Loretta's hand and removed something he had always kept in his pocket.

"Loretta Red-Rains," he said as he opened the box at the same time that Tolle and Kira came downstairs to check on Mir, "Will you honor me by accepting my proposal of marriage to you and be with me for all eternal?" he asked.

Blushing, Loretta picked up the ring and looked at it for a moment before holding it out in the palm of her hand opposite her ring finger hand, while holding that hand at out with all the fingers spread and said, "I will honor you by becoming your wife, as you honor me by asking me to be your wife."

He took the ring and slipped it on and the two kissed for a good 5 minutes. Then broke and the two turned and went right back into soldier mode, "On the bounce! Move those things out to the truck! We have one more house to check and then its back to the ship!"

The three teens double timed it. They hurriedly loaded up all of the things that could be carried aboard the _Archangel_. Then after finding the owner of the remaining apartment to be check was in there with a gun, having barely missed Kira's right ear by mere centimeters, they had her tied up, in the back seat, her belongings in the back, and they were off to the ship.

* * *

At the same time, Lt. James was returning to the ship after checking the last shelter. Of all the shelters, a full tenth had ended up caught in the fighting and out of that, a sixth had been utterly destroyed or too badly damaged to safely house their occupants. The survivors were than put aboard the _Archangel_. The search crew had also found survivors in destroyed shelters and had recovered them and the bodies of the dead. The dead would be housed for the time, until a proper burial could be arranged. The last attack by Rau Le Creuset had been three days ago, and with the few people that would reopen their shelters, the colony had been totally emptied. Just in time as the attack began anew. 


	4. Heliopolis Shattered!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

"**_The Endymion Ghosts"_**

**_Chapter Three: "Shattered! Heliopolis is Destroyed!"

* * *

_**

_**Heliopolis Resource Satellite, Orb Union Island-type Colony, L3 Area**_

The once beautiful and peaceful Island-3 Type Space Colony was now a battlefield of death and destruction. Inside, a lone ship prepared to fight off an enemy force of seven ZGMF-1017 GINN mobile suits, but the lone ship, _Archangel_, is protected by four G-Weapons, GAT-X105 Strike, -X106 Highland, -X107 Field Strike, and the –X108 Woodland Strike. Then two more G-Weapons appear the GAT-X 303 Aegis and GAT-X 102 Duel.

* * *

**ZMS Vesalius_, planning for the attack on the 'Legged-Ship'_**

"Commander Le Creuset, allow me to participate in this battle," Athrun Zala, a ZAFT Top Gun with short midnight blue hair and emerald green eyes requested of his superior officer. 17 years old and already a Top Gun Red covering his slightly tanned white skin.

"I'm afraid not Athrun, your friend may prove to be your down fall," Commander Rau Le Creuset said. Tall, with long blonde haired and a white mask covering his upper face. About 25 years old wearing commander whites that match his skin.

"Yeah coward, don't even think of launching!" Yzak Joule sneered. Same age as Athrun, but with an opposite personality and appearance, save for the Top Gun Red Uniform. Silver hair, blue eyes and white skin defines Yzak's appearance.

"Yzak Joule, you are _NOT_ to _LAUNCH_ either," Commander Le Creuset ordered the blue eyed boy.

"Commander I wouldn't…" Yzak was cut off.

"I know full well that your aunt was guarded by Eagleton and his team up till she vanished _AND _that he took you in as his student _AND_ not to mention that you're his son-in-law, do not think I did not know you would join the battle," the team commander was stern, but he knew both boys would launch anyways.

Yzak started mumbling about there being no justice and a long string of curses that would shock a sailor and everyone on the bridge had a blush. About fifteen minutes later, Yzak finished.

"Now that Yzak is done, we will be only using the GINNs to evaluate the enemy strength for now and sink the enemy battleship, avoid all enemy mobile suits and keep the Colony's main support shaft to your backs. You will be using D-Class Weapons Package for this mission."

"AYE, AYE SIR!" the green suited mobile pilots said as they left to prepare for battle, as the red suits just stood, angered by the way things turned out.

* * *

**AFS Archangel_, same time_**

"If I know Rau, he'll use his remain ZMF-1017s and go after the ship. He forgets who had the higher score at the academy when it comes to defensive tactics, but he was always a sneaky bastard, but that limits his abilities," Crim Eagleton, the once famous ZAFT Master of Aces, said.

"How can that limit Rau's capabilities?" Lt. Mu La Flaga asked.

"Simple, he'll have his troops put the main support shaft behind them, so we will be unable to fire, but this is where he'll get one hell of the surprise. We go ahead and just blast the ZAFT suits, if we hit the shaft, pray it holds, if we miss, good, but that shaft is the main key to this battle. So we'll not allow them that luxury," Crim said.

"But we can't shoot at the shaft!" protested all the female officers at once, except Captain (Acting) Murrue Ramius.

"You plan to put the _Archangel_ between the shaft and the GINNs and win the battle," she stated, not asked.

"We have four G-Weapons, they have four, but I don't expect him to use all four, most likely one or two and that's were he gets sneaky," Crim replied.

"One or two and that's where he gets sneaky?" asked Lieutenant Junior Grade Sara James, clearly confused.

"He won't be ordering them out. I can guess that Athrun Zala, son of that bastard Patrick Zala will be one and most likely one other, my student…" Crim trailed off.

"Student?" Capt. Ramius asked, clearly confused.

"I think he might be in the Le Creuset Team, but I hope not. He's a good kid… He even – when he was about ten – called me father. I always had great ties to his family to the point that I allowed him to take my daughter's hand in marriage," he replied wiping tears away.

"Yzak," Lina Joule said softly, her own nephew.

"We'll have to be careful then," Lt. La Flaga concluded.

"Now that's aside, what about Kira?" Crim asked, getting back to business.

"Sakura and Justin are talking to him now," replied Lina.

"Good, a loyal son of Orb, that's Kira through and through," Crim said, but that reminded Capt. Ramius of someone from long ago.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Ha! I may be sympathetic to the PLANTs, but I'm a loyal son of the Atlantic Federation and no one dares walks away after insulting my loyalties!" a dark haired blonde with piercing blue eyes and a mean right hook and strong left jab showed the offending Alliance supporter._

"_BAR FIGHT!" a red head, with childish green eyes shouted as he joined his buddies in knocking down the Alliance supporters._

_The young woman with red eyes and shoulder length brown hair took cover with the other soldier dates in a back room where the owner called the police._

_A burst of automatic fire ripped into the room and the sound of a wounded man yelling his head off, filled the bar. The police dispatcher could be heard yelling, "Shots fired, shots fired!"_

_The blonde man from the start of the fight was wheeled out, his face covered in bandages and part of his left arm missing. The police arrived to pick off the survivors, all Alliance Supporters all Blue Cosmos. The blonde recovered, but his eyes held a sickly red about them, instead of their once shining clear blue._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

"_Bridge, Dormitory Starboard, Kira has agreed to pilot the X105 Strike, we're taking him to get changed now"_ Sakura reported.

"Roger that Ms. Sakura, see you out on the battlefield," replied CPO 2nd Class Jackie Tonomura.

"Now let's begin moving the ship," Ensign Loretta Red-Rains said, no one disagreed.

Just minutes after finalizing their plans and positioning their ship, the crew of the _Archangel_ saw the hole made by the ZAFT battleship gunfire and the nine enemy suits enter in two groups.

* * *

_**The battle now being fought**_

The sight of the four G-Weapons approaching unnerved the ZAFT pilots a little, but they had their orders and with no Zeroes out there, the ship should go down easily. In theory anyways, but attacking squadrons should always, and have traditionally always, outnumbered the defenders in a classic air-to-surface attacks on ships. Though, since the start of the war, the rules changed as smaller numbers of mobile suits wiped out entire squadrons of ships, though the defense screen of mobile armors had always held the advantage in numbers, but now, it was an all mobile suit battle, so the rules of old once more applied.

As the swirling mass of mobile suits engaged one another, skill was the key and so was equipment. The ZAFT pilots found their job cut out for them, but took comfort in the fact that the enemy mobile suits had to both defend their ship AND the Heliopolis' main support shaft. The clumsier weapons of the D-Package armaments meant that the GINNs were seriously lacking in the mobility department, but the Aegis and the Duel more then made up for that, that is until they encountered the second line mobile suits, X105 and X106.

The _Cry of the Attacking Eagle_ resounded on all frequencies and anyone near Heliopolis went wide eyed at the sound. The Aegis soon found itself locking swords with the X105 Strike, while the Duel played follow the leader with the X106 Highland Strike.

"Hiya Duel! Let me guess, Yzak, right? Always thought you'd make a good duelist, but I didn't know that you'll apply the name so literally!" Crim couldn't help himself.

"_SHEHEHEHE, still the same as always, eh, father… Please surrender, you and Aunt Lina, please,"_ begged the pilot of the Duel to the point of tears.

"Now you know how Athrun and Kira must be feeling. Athrun was always more like his mother, not one bit like his father. I can guarantee that fact," Crim said.

"Father! Please just give up!" Yzak cried out.

"Yzak, ever hear of GENESIS and/or the NJCs?" Crim asked.

"No, why? What are they?" Yzak asked.

"Tell your mother, that she must force Patrick to acknowledge these weapons in front of the Council, the whole Supreme Council and the PLANTs, and then we may both return. Talk with Athrun and get his aid, but don't tell Rau about this, you'll be breathing vacuum is seconds flat," the older man said very sagely, very fatherly.

"_I'll think about it, but first, I must shoot you down. You'll be disappointed if I didn't carry out my duty as a ZAFT soldier,"_ Yzak responded, with the heart of a soldier.

"Correct, I can see I was right, you are just like me when I was younger, but Yzak… If I die here or before I can stop GENESIS, carry out my wishes and see to it that there is never another betrayal of men like us, we soldiers are proud to the point of arrogance, but we are literally a breed apart from others, we deserve to have a soldier's pride, but we are soldiers not politicians or murderers, avenge not only all those sons and daughters of the PLANTs, but also of Earth, their leadership has long since betrayed them, but they don't know it. Work with Lord Uzumi and I can tell you now that we will one day see an end to such radicalism as we see this day," Crim sighs sadly, "Then my sword will be reforged, broken long ago and by those of hate, peace shall return to the Earth-Sphere and we will be the ones to have paved that road others will follow."

"_Now we fight?" Yzak asked heavily._

"Yes my student, my son, we fight," answered Crim just as heavily.

The two suits stopped and clashed together in fierce fighting. So fierce that the others on the field of battle stopped momentarily to observe them, each not knowing their pain, but not even trying to second guessing their duties.

* * *

With-in the X105 Strike, Kira recalled the words discussed in the pilots locker room. He chuckled a bit to himself as he remembered that he almost passed out. Though he would have most likely – and if he could, he would – pass out. The three males had been momentarily chased out of the locker room by a nude female ex-ZAFT Ace, with lots of items following behind them.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_So all we have to do is defend the ship and the main support shaft. Sounds too easy, this is going to be trying," Justin Glick, former Alliance Ace and ensign, said._

"_Two G-Weapons, most likely Yzak Joule and Athrun Zala, and their seven remaining mobile suits – if at full complement, which I don't doubt – with D-Class Weapons Package," Crim Eagleton, ex-ZAFT Master of Aces and team commander, said._

"_What do you want me to do?" Kira Yamato, former technical college student, but a First Generation Coordinator, asked unsure._

"_Protect this ship to the bitter end, which I doubt will be this battle, but maybe the next if we're unlucky, but I doubt that too," Crim responded._

_The three males walked into the pilots' locker room, only to run out seconds later with just about anything that could be picked up and thrown, picked up and thrown at them!_

"_One of these days, I'll teach her a lesson!" Justin yelled bitterly, rubbing a sore spot on his head._

"_Sakura! We, too, need to change and its not like it's the first time either that the three of us had to change in the same locker room, or anywhere for that matter," Crim called out._

"_Oh! Sorry, reflex from the old days, you know," she said, and the two older males pushed Kira in just to be on the safe side._

"_I…I…I…" Kira was at a loss for words._

"_What? Didn't they teach you about sex ed. and all that stuff in high school?" Sakura Ryosouke, former ZAFT Ace and team leader, teasingly asked the younger Coordinator._

"_Now let's change," Crim said, blazing a trail over to his locker, Justin right behind him, but Kira's locker was right next to Sakura's locker._

'_Goddess, give me strength," Kira asked the divine Goddess that protected the children of Orb _(yes, check out some 411 on GSD; though, anyone who actually saw GSD, please tell me if I got this right and all available background please)

_As Kira was getting ready, he was blushing quite a bit, as Sakura was taking her time and he couldn't stop looking at her, then to his dismay._

"_Sakura, are you teasing the kid or something?" Justin asked._

"_No Bear, I'm just getting ready, besides, I say he's more suited to Lacus Clyne, the daughter of the Chairman more than me," she gave him a seductive wink._

"_He's going to blow a load in his boxers at this rate, so hurry up and get ready, this isn't your old team of all females," the Eagle said irritably._

"_I know, but a girl has got to be ready," the Cherry Blossom replied._

"_That kid's going to blow if this keeps up," Crim whispered to Justin._

"_Sorry kid, but can't help you," Justin said as the two pilots left fully suited._

_Kira watched as Justin left wearing a black with purple trim flight suit of Alliance origins and Crim wearing a red with a grey flight suit of ZAFT origins, but with a matching Alliance helmet. The two left to go to their machines. Kira than felt a slender hand on his own._

"_Now, let me show you how to get a woman a little wild when you get her in bed, but remember to avoid Flay Allster, she's no woman, but a whiny seductress. These moves will get any girl to be yours, so let's start, we're going to have only several minutes at best before that tightwad comes back," Sakura purred into Kira's ear, he gulped.

* * *

_

_**End Flashback**_

Kira shook his head, she had said that he could probably tame Flay Allster, in her words _"You're that unbelievably talented, are you sure that you're not a Third Generation?"_ Kira chuckled, as he remembered how he had to give her a slight hand into her flight suit, which was designed like a Japanese Kimono, with flowing Cherry Blossoms floating gently in a wild wind, also of ZAFT origin, but with a matching Alliance helmet. The colors were pink sakuras on a plain white with teal trimming. Kira wore an Alliance white uniform with blue trimming and got a crack out of Crim about it.

* * *

_**Flashback**_

"_Kira, are you sure you're a Coordinator? Because in those colors, I'd expect you to say 'For a Blue and Pure World!' But that is what I call a slap in the face and a shot below the waist, HEY! That rhymes!" Crim, as Kira quickly found out, truly had a joke filled head._

_The four pilots mounted up in their machines and launched._

_**End Flashback

* * *

**_

Kira came back to the present just in time to evade an attack and slice a GINN from just below the right shoulder to the left side of the waist, after using his beam boomerang to tear of the legs at the knees. The GINN exploded, killing the pilot instantly, Kira's second victory and first human kill.

Kira whirled around in time to claim his third victory, by using the 15.78 meter "Schwert Gewehr" anti-ship beam sword to impale his enemy through the cockpit, then withdrew and used the rocket anchor "Panzer Eisen" to throw it into another GINN, causing both to explode and gaining a fourth victory of the day. Then the Aegis – with renewed vigor – charged at the Strike and the two were deadlock in a sword lock.

* * *

Elsewhere, two GINNs battled the _Archangel_ herself, as the remaining two other GINNs took pot shots with Ion Cannons safely from on top of the support shaft. That's when the Field Strike and Woodland Strike decided, "TO HELL WITH IT!" and fired back with their Igelstellung CIWS, causing minimal damage to shaft, but forcing their opponents to abandon their defensive points and Sakura brought her "Midas Messer" beam boomerang into play and downed both in a single strike, but the GINNs both released a final blast destroying vital parts of the shaft. Justin, decided to quickly stop the remaining GINNs, but one was picked off by Crim when he confiscated the Duel's beam rifle.

As Crim prepared to fire the RPG, Yzak rammed him from behind and the shot went wild and hit the support shaft!

"_YZAK YOU BAKA! You trying to kill us all and the civilians!"_ Crim chaste him.

"_I wasn't about to let you kill Matthews!"_ Yzak roared back, Yzak then reclaimed his weapon from the Highland Strike.

Matthews, decided to fire off one more burst of missiles, then he was out of there, but as he was about to – and did so – the _Archangel_, hammered him with a blast from the Gottfrieds and his missiles went wild and destroyed the already abused shaft. The colony began to break up and everyone was being tossed about.

"_YZAK!"_ Crim pushed the young man clear of a wild support line from the shaft, and even with Phase Shift armor, Crim will be out of action for a long, long while.

"_FATHER!"_ Yzak cried out, but two Panzer Eisens grappled the wounded mobile suit and towed it inside the safety of _Archangel_.

While on the far side of the battlefield, the two friends were bitterly and rapidly torn from the sight of one another…

"_KIRA!"_

"_ATHRUN!"_

…And hurled into space, as Heliopolis collapsed around them and in front of the crews of the ships of the Le Creuset Team.


	5. Silent RunFriends Fierce Battle

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

"_**The Endymion Ghosts"**_

_**Chapter Four: "Silent Run, Fierce Battle of Parting Friends!"

* * *

**_

**_AFS Archangel_, the shattered ruins of what had once been Heliopolis**

As soon as the hanger had pressurized and the atmosphere had been restored, medics and mechanics were pulling the batter form of Crim "Crimson Eagle" Eagleton from the batter wreckage of what had been a factory new mobile suit, the GAT-X106 Highland Strike. The pilot seemed worse off than his mobile suit as he was giving orders to what sounded like his old command. He was rushed off to Sickbay for immediate surgery as the mechanics began to do damage assessment of the ruined mobile suit.

* * *

Up on the bridge, everyone, except Ensign Natarle Badgiruel – who was trying to contact the GAT-X105 Strike, the forerunner of the -X106, -X107, and -X108 – over at the radio communications station, was listening to the Chief Mechanics report on the other units aboard ship.

"_As far as it looks, the Highland is spare parts, but we believe that it is repairable."_

"What of the pilot, Eagleton?" asked Captain (Acting) Murrue Ramius.

"_He was bad, kept issuing orders to what I think was his previous command, like heavy weapons platoon establish base of fire and Third Squad, Forth Platoon fallback now, crazy orders like that."_

"That can't be possibly from his old command, because they sound like infantry commands rather than mobile suit commands," stated Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James.

"Well he was known for setting his team up similarly, but heavy weapons platoon and Third Squad, Forth Platoon, ZAFT isn't set up like that, not even at the infantry level, well mostly because they are guards rather than true front line infantry, odd," said Sakura Ryosouke, the Lunar Cherry Blossom, ex-ZAFT team commander.

"_Yeah well, I don't know much about ZAFT ranks or organization, but who was the Career Master Sergeant?"_

"No such rank exists in ZAFT, yes we have a few sergeant ranks, but to my knowledge, no Career Master Sergeant," the Lunar Cherry Blossom said.

"_Well, we can ask him when he awakens. As for the GINNs, the Zeroes, and the remaining two G-Weapons, nothing we can't handle, but we lack the customized spare parts for the GINNs."_

"Then don't worry about them and fix what can be done in the shortest amount of time," Captain Ramius ordered, no one objected, until….

"WHAT? You can't be serious!" yelled Ensign Badgiruel.

"Ensign what's wrong?" asked Lieutenant Mu La Flaga.

"The Strike just returned…"

"So?" asked Ensign Loretta Red-Rains.

"… He has a civilian lifeboat with him and we're already carrying too many civilians as is," she finished annoyed.

"With Rau Le Creuset about, do we have time to argue?" inquired Lina Joule rather sternly.

"Ahh, right, give permission, I want to get out of here as soon as possible," stated the Captain.

"Aye, aye," came the half-hearted response.

* * *

**GAT-X105 Strike, earlier, just after the collapse of Heliopolis**

Kira Yamato just stared at the ruins that had once been his home. He was furious and sad at the loss of his home. He was also in shock and it wouldn't be the last time during this awful war. He wasn't aware of anything at the moment. Not even Ensign Badgiruel trying to raise him on the radio until she shouted his name. He then responded and then after a very brief communication, the contact was broken and Kira prepared to head towards the _Archangel_.

At that moment in time, his sensors went off and so did his alarms informing him of a nearby vessel in distress and sending out an SOS. He saw that it was a lifeboat damaged during the launching of shelters when the colony was shattered. He had to help them; it wasn't in his nature to leave people in suffering. He moved forward and retrieved the lifeboat and headed back to the ship.

* * *

**Now up to the time of Natarle Badgiruel's first, but certainly not last headache of the year**

It was when he reported that he had the lifeboat that things got rocky. Then it became smooth as glass. He was told to move it though and to put it down in the in the central area of the hanger once everything was readied.

He entered the right 'leg' of the ship and landed while the hatch and airlock closed behind him. As the next airlock opened and he entered the hanger, he was guided and by the Chief Mechanic, Kojiro Murduch. Kira set the lifeboat down and the last airlock closed and sealed the hanger from the vacuum of space outside the ship.

As the hatch was opened and people began to exit, Kira began to exit the Strike and that's when he little mechanical bird took off and he gave pursuit. As to why he had with him at all is unknown, even to him, it was probably just one of those things. As Kira chased the little bird, a redheaded young girl in a pink sundress was helped out of the lifeboat. Hearing the commotion she launched herself towards Kira and caught him in embrace, happy to see a friendly face. It was then that a single drop of blood, no bigger than the tip of a person's pinky floated by. The two noticed and so did a passing mechanic.

"Commander Eagleton took it real bad. He's in sickbay," the man said.

"Wha-what happened?" asked Kira surprised.

"Took a blow from the support shaft… Lucky to be alive, not even Coordinators are supposed to be **_THAT_** durable, but he is a veteran of the Battle of Endymion," the mechanic soon left, to be replaced by Mu La Flaga.

"Hey kid," noticing the blood droplet, he took out a piece of cloth and caught the blood.

"Is he going to make it?" asked Kira.

"Yeah… well I don't know, still in surgery, but he's the Crimson Eagle! While wounded he covered ZAFT's retreat from the moon, but Ms. Joule said he never fully recovered, he even still has nightmares about the battle and the subsequent ZAFT retreat. They say he tried to rescue a late launch medical ship that drew the attention of an entire fleet and was sunk when he got close to it, to the point they were pulling bits and pieces, including human bits and pieces, of the ship out of his mobile suit for two solid months."

"What? A ZAFT pilot, so this is a ZAFT ship because of the mobile suits," Flay Allster said.

"Sorry ma'am, but your wrong," and Lt. La Flaga showed his 7th Orbit Fleet and OMNI Enforcer patches to her as she noticed Kira's flight suit also had the OMNI Enforcer patch, but the 8th Lunar Fleet insignia.

"Come on, everyone's waiting," Lt. La Flaga led the two youngsters, followed by the mechanical bird, Birdie, to Sickbay.

* * *

Up on the bridge two hours later and after the civilian doctors reported that Eagleton would survive, the officers of the ship, including the now only called Sakura, started to hatch a plan. The plan would require everything to work for them, but it was rather amateurish and Le Creuset would expect it.

First, launch a decoy set to give the impression that the _Archangel_ would head directly to Lunar Headquarters. Second, begin a silent run towards the Eurasian Federation space base, Artemis. Third, pray to a higher power during this entire trip that nothing else goes wrong, but unfortunately, two of the three did not work. The third is still open to debate. With the plan set, the massive white and red trimmed ship sets out on its path to destiny, a destiny that the no one aboard knows exists.

* * *

**_ZMS Gamow_, what had been Heliopolis Space, receiving a few spare pilots and mobile suits from _ZMS Star Guard_**

A dark haired red coat left her CQUE and floated over to a capture G-Weapon the mechanics were trying to coax the pilot out of. She just stopped and stared at the personnel and the close hatch. She wondered why the pilot would not exit his mobile suit? He was probably injured and the mechanics were probably really not that bright.

"He could be injured," she said.

"Nope, he's fine, but he refuses to come out, he keeps mumbling father too," one of the mechanics said.

Realization dawned on the red coat. She immediately shoved them aside and began speaking to the pilot. She knew only of one red coat in the entire ZAFT military that acted like that. He had done this once before, but his father had coaxed him out of the Training GINN.

"Yzak, it's me Shiho, come on out already," she said softly.

"_He's dead this time Shiho… I found his helmet before returning… It's Alliance styled, with his slogan, **'Not Again!'** written on it,"_ she could hear the unmistakable sound of crying.

"Open it, I'm going in to bring him out, but it will take some time," Shiho Hahnenfuss said to the mechanics.

The mechanics began to open the hatch and before it was a quarter of the way open, Shiho managed to worm her way in and override and reseal the hatch. Once she was sure that everyone got the message, she turned her attention to Yzak. He was still strapped in and was holding a wreck of an Alliance helmet, but it was colored crimson and had a brown-bodied eagle with a white head and indeed the words _"Not Again!"_ were written on it.

"Yzak, I'm sure it wasn't it him," she said, but he jerked away.

"NO! It was… (Sob)… him… (Sob)… Only he… (Sob)… could… (Sob)… crack… (Sob)… such a… (Sob)… bad… (Sob)… joke… (Sob)… about my… (Sob)… mobile suit…" Yzak fell back into fits of crying.

Seeing her friend once more like he was, she cradled him close. Yzak accepted the embrace, he felt safer that way. He held his grip on the helmet, but allowed Shiho to comfort him. He was in absolute ruin from the damage that had been inflicted upon him during this war. He had already lost much, but now, he had lost that one last thing that he lived for. The thing being to impress his father with victory and the deliverance of independence for the PLANTS.

When the cockpit had pressurized enough, Shiho took of her helmet and Yzak's helmet and pressed her lips to his. She knew he would never kiss another girl, but he needed it. He needed it real bad if he was to survive the war. She knew what had nearly destroyed him, few did. Lina Victoria Eagleton Joule and her son, Yzak Joule II, had been at home on the PLANT Junius Seven on the day of February 14th, Year 70 of the Cosmic Era. Neither had survived the destruction of Junius Seven.

She held Yzak close, always knowing that he would be this way. He had not been so cynical and sarcastic until the destruction of Junius Seven. Only Crim Eagleton, his surrogate and father-in-law had managed to keep him going. No one really knew what happened to the Crimson Eagle's wife and son, but no one asked. The Crimson Eagle had seen to that by shedding an ocean of Alliance blood.

* * *

**_ZMS Nazca_, on final approach to Martius 9**

The flagship of her namesake class of ships, the _Nazca_, had been the command ship of the famous Eagleton Team. Now, she was merely a trainer on a final approach to the Martius Nine PLANT. None of the cadets knew why, but they had been summoned, to be asked a very important and confidential question. The instructors were just as baffle as the order extended to them too. As they approached the PLANT, they were greeted by…

* * *

**Artemis Space, less than 400 kilometers from the Eurasian Artemis Space Fortress**

"Three heat signatures alongside at 200 kilometers… Confirming, three _Nazca_-Classes, four _Luarasia_-Classes astern, 110 even kilometers and holding," reported Petty Officer Jackie Tonomaru.

"SEVEN SHIPS!" cried out LT (JG). James.

"Should have known, but what we going to do, its 7 to 1 odds in ships and as many as…"

"Wait! Two of the _Nazca_-Class have stopped and are adrift… It appears they suffered engine failure, three of the enemy ships astern are going to assist," reported PO Tonomaru.

"Did the lead ship fall out of formation?" asked Lt. La Flaga.

"No sir, it is still on the move, it will stop at the 200 kilometer point in fifteen minutes," was the reply.

"Good, because I have a plan for our friend, Rau Le Creuset," replied the Hawk.

* * *

Inside the flagship of the ZAFT emergency task force that had been formed to attack and destroy the _Archangel_, Commander Rau Le Creuset began to think about the damage that had been done to his force already. Two of his ships had fallen out of formation do to engine failure and three others had to be detailed to guard and tow them to safety. Now he knew that he would only have the four G-Weapons, plus four GINNS and two CQUES to engage and destroy the "Legged-Ship." Still that was 2-1 odds, but he knew that of the four G-Weapons still in Earth Forces' hands, one was permanently out of the way, at least for a while. Then there were the Zeroes, but he knew that they were rough shape and had only two pilots for them, which coincided with the fact that they also only had about five pilots. So he felt rather good that they would be victorious, they had to be.

* * *

As Yzak left his quarters, he looked back at the sleeping form in his bed. He felt like he had betrayed them. He felt like he had betrayed his Father and his wife and son, but he knew that they would only want the best for him. He remembered how it had happened, how he became a father and husband so young. True it was a rather common thing in the PLANTS since Coordinator youths had matured faster due to the often-harsh rule and harsher reality of being attacked by the Naturals. Then came visionaries like Chairman Siegel Clyne, Supreme Commander Patrick Zala, and the legendary hero of ZAFT, Crim Eagleton.

Leaving his quarters and walking towards his mobile suit, Yzak Joule thought back to his days of being happily married and being a father. He and Lina had always liked one another and then, in an act to prove that they weren't so young, they had swiped some wine from his mother's wine cellar. They had nearly drunk all of it at his little getaway when it had occurred. The two of them had gone all the way in one shot and Crim of all people had caught them. He had been furious about them being drunk, but still, he had been less than angry about what they had done while drunk. In the end, Lina had tested positive and only Crim seemed to be defending them saying that it would have happened eventually. They had married that spring, Year 68 of the Cosmic Era. It all ended with a nuclear device being in the wrong hands and them being at the wrong place.

Yzak boarded the GAT-X102 Duel and cut orders since he outranked the other pilots in the GINNS and CQUES. He wasn't going to loss any more allies or friends in the upcoming battle, no matter what, they would be on stand-by only.

"_This is Yzak Joule, all GINNS and CQUES are prohibited from engaging in this battle until the enemy mobile units are no factor, that's an order,"_ he said, not even the Captain Zimmer tried to argue.

"_Red Coats cleared for launch!"_

"_Roger! Dearka Elsman, Buster, Launching!"_

"_Copy! Nicol Amafli, Blitz, Launching!"_

"_Once more into the breach… Yzak Joule, Duel, Launching!"_

The three captured G-Weapons tore through the great black void towards the white and red trimmed ship in front of them. The Aegis had cut similar orders to the two GINNS and the lone CQUE aboard the _Vesalius_. No one wanted to lose anymore allies, especially not some of these guys, which were a mix of raw and battle hardened mobile suit pilots.

* * *

Three mobile suits launched from the mighty ship _AFS Archangel_. The GAT-X105 Strike, -X107 Field Strike, and –X108 Woodland Strike. The three remaining defenders as it appeared to be. ZAFT felt confident now. THEY had the advantage in numbers and reserve personnel and machines; the _Archangel_ did not have that luxury.

As the machines closed distance, the battle was joined with a blast from the mighty white angel's Lohnengrin Positron Cannons. The matter-antimatter blast cut a bright light of colors that could and would turn anything it hits into very small sub-atomic particles. The shot was more or less wild, but it had served its purpose. It had just been a warm up as the four groups of mobile suits met in a wild, swirling array of dance, light, and almost certain death.

* * *

Kira Yamato of the –X105 Strike, met and joined battle with his long time friend turned enemy, ZAFT Elite pilot Athrun Zala of the GAT-X303 Aegis, the Command Model of the G-Weapons. As the two circled, arguing back and forth where allegiances belong, the two finally clashed, saber-to-saber, violet frozen flame to yellow frozen flame and vice versus. They broke apart and the argument resumed.

"Enough Kira! Just come back to me! Come back to your people!"

Kira thought about something, something that Crim Eagleton told him just after he got out of surgery. Crim seemed to sense him and had regained consciences long enough to talk to Kira.

* * *

**Flashback**

Crim's eyes opened slowly, and his head turned. He looked straight at Kira Yamato, the pilot of the Strike. He then spoke, ensuring where Kira's loyalties lay.

"Kira, you're a son of Orb, not a son of the PLANTS… DO NOT forget that, no matter what Athrun says, he is the blinded one, not you. Soon all will know why I deserted, but it will be too long away and too much blood for these old bones, for I'm definitely not getting any younger," he gave Kira a weak, toothy smile before lapsing back into a coma.

**End Flashback

* * *

**

"I'm sorry Athrun, but if you insist on attacking the _Archangel_, then I'm afraid we fight. I'm a son of Orb, ATHRUN!" Kira shouted.

Athrun knew what he had too do. He attended several of Crim Eagleton's lectures on the psychology of warfare among other lectures he gave.

* * *

**Flashback**

"Not all Coordinators will come and fight for the PLANTS. Remember thatof allthe nations on Earth, three allow First Generations to be born on their soil. Of all the nations on Earth, only five allow Coordinators to live with-in their borders with equal rights of that only two do so because it's the right thing to do. Now as for the three other nations, one is in danger from the north, the other is just a collection of independent states, and the third is split on the subject, but in reality joins the previous two as allowing Coordinators equal rights and opportunities. So whatever bull you hear from someone who doesn't understand this, tell them to shut up even if everyone has a right to their own opinion."

"Sir!"

"Yes Rusty?"

"What do you mean by those last few words?"

"Ah yes, for example, people like Patrick Zala are saying we are a different race. If so, how come I got the almost the same set-up and load out like a normal Natural male? Any answers? No one is going to take a shot at this, okay… ELSMAN!"

"SIR!"

"What do you think?"

"I, um, I…"

"One, pay attention, don't flirt, both of you are getting extra duty assignment. Two, this has a very simple answer… ZALA! Since I used your father, might as well use you."

"SIR! I can't really say, SIR!"

"Listening too much to your father, guess he's jealous that you look more like your mother… If I had to say who would be the best wife for you I'd have to say the Orb's Amber Princess, her temper and compassion would really help keep you on your toes."

"SIR! She's a Natural!"

"Wrong! She's a twin to a deceased Coordinator, but considering if I told you all more, you'd have to join intelligence or I would have to kill all of you, but I will tell you this, her amber eyes, although not impossible, tell all, especially since they go so well with her hair. I also know the whole story by looking into those eyes. You can see her sub-conscience seeking her twin. A deeper look will reveal a twin brother that is a Coordinator, that kind of mastery requires lots of training, something the higher ups would deny works. OF course what else is new… Hahnenfuss!"

"Sir! The only difference is the modification of genes, hence the term Natural means unmodified human with no genetic manipulation, while Coordinator means a human who has been modified with genetic manipulation, SIR!"

"Right, but you're wrong on the Coordinator term. You see that is a tricky subject; most people you talk too can't even tell the difference between strafing fire and flanking fire. The same applies to the term Coordinator. The real answer for Coordinator is not that we are genetically a different human species; we are merely guides to the next stage of human evolution. You all know we must learn in order to make great use of our abilities. Some have skills that far exceed our own. Take Athrun Zala for example, he's made what sixteen of those annoying, I mean, sweet Haros and other little robots."

"Eighteen sir!"

"Since you were still in grade school no less. I meet a Natural by the name of Lowe Gear. No Coordinator can hope to come close to his skills when it comes to salvaging the unsalvageable, repairing the unrepairable, and taking junk and making something useful out of it. His skills at repairing things far exceed even the best Coordinator and let's not forget the Pink Princess. That is pure talent, pure skill, and pure hard work when she sings. No one can challenge her. There was also a Natural with great tactical skill and had even written a book on the subject of mobile suit warfare. Thing is, he wrote over a 150 years ago, during the early 21st Century AD. It included joint operations between mobile suits and conventional forces of the Earth Alliance, not to mention advance space combat strategies; only two people I know of have read this old book. Lewis Halberton of the 8th Lunar Fleet, OMNI Enforcer and myself are the only known readers that _I_ know of. So do not think yourselves greater to the point of arrogance. I do not believe that, for example Miguel Aimen, among other aces will live to see the end of this war. For his arrogance knows no bounds and one day he will let that destroy him. Dismiss except for Mr. Elsman and Ms. Rodriguez."

**End Flashback

* * *

**

Athrun knew that he would have to fight Kira know, but his heart wasn't in it. That was when the Duel stepped in.

"Athrun you idiot! Eliminate the weak ones first, then go for the strong ones, but don't waste time!"

"Yzak?"

"You're being weak Athrun! He's the enemy! He's not a son of the PLANTS!"

The Duel charged the Strike and the true went at it immediately, the experience and training giving Yzak an edge in the fight against Kira. Emerald darts were exchanged with the occasion slash with frozen violet flame either meeting its counterpart or a red or blue shield. The two dog-fought back and forth. Circling more times and very rapidly than any could count. They continued to fight one another, one trying to kill, and the other trying to live.

* * *

On the other side of the battlefield, the GAT-X207 Blitz was having a devil of a time trying to evade the Aile Striker Pack equipped –X107 Field Strike. The Field Strike had been given greater abilities when it came to open field combat, hence the name. The Blitz was meant for shock attacks, covert operations, and Special Forces assignments. It just wasn't up to the task in open field warfare.

Young Nicol Amafli was trying his hardest to fight the Field Strike. He was the youngest of the whole team and the least skilled in open warfare or for that matter most combat situations. He made up for it with ingenuity and the energy of being young. He meant the swipe of the violet flame with a block of his black shield and then spat out emerald darts of high velocity beam energy, but missed. His opponent he knew was far more skilled, an ace, and had more combat experience than him. He would have to be careful not to pull rookie stunts.

* * *

The GAT-X103 Buster was having a worst time of it all. The GAT-X108 Woodland Strike had taken cover in a debris field, sticking close to the "Legged-Ship." In Close Quarters Combat or CQC, the Woodland Strike lived up to its name. It had been designed with close combat and melee combat in mind.

It was Dearka Elsman's choice of sticking with the anti-armor shotgun mode for his weapon was all that kept him alive. The Woodland may have Phase Shift Armor, but that shotgun was more or less a combination of an energy cannon and a physical ballistics cannon. Also, at close range, the PS Armor was, in theory, only slightly better than regular armor, so Justin Glick chose to keep some mid-range distance and use his beam rifle like a battle rifle he trained with in infantry combat school. Which to Dearka's dismay, it was very accurate and precise.

* * *

Back with the Duel and Strike, Kira was having a hard time. Yzak was just so much better than him. Yzak either evaded or blocked his attacks with the Duel's shield. Yzak knew it was only a matter of time and the –X105 Strike would be debris.

* * *

On the bridge of the _Archangel_, an argument had started between the ship's Captain and her XO. The argument was about firing the Lohnengrins a second time. They bickered back and forth, but the Captain won out in the end. The reason for the argument was a laser designator beam being directed onto their ship from the _Nazca_ in front.

* * *

Aboard the _Vesalius_, Rau Le Creuset had decided to fire the main cannon at the _Archangel_ and end the battle. Just as the guns were positioned, the target locked, and the ship readied. Rau Le Creuset sensed danger, far too late though.

"Boost engines to maximum! Lower bow! Pitch 60!" Commander Le Creuset yelled.

Captain Ades and several of the crew looked at him, until the radar operator called out a warning.

"Heat source approaching from below! It's a mobile armor!"

"What? Activate CIWS! Boost engines to maximum! Lower bow! Pitch 60!" Captain Ades ordered, already far too late to stop the Zero from attacking and inflicting damage as LT (SG) Mu La Flaga yelled a battle cry.

Adding insult to injury, Lt. La Flaga fired his anchor and used the Vesalius as a sling shot to get back to the Archangel faster. All the while chaos reigned supreme on the crippled warship as damage reports came in.

"Major damage to engines! We're losing thrust!"

"Enemy mobile armor has left!"

"Shoot it down!" ordered Ades.

"Number 5 Sodium Wall damaged! It's on fire!"

"Damage Control! Sealing bulkheads!"

'Damn you Mu,' thought Commander Le Creuset as he stood next to the seated Ades, "We're leaving! Ades, send a message to the _Gamow_!"

* * *

On the bridge of the _Archangel_, Lt. La Flaga's message of a successful attack gave the crew much needed relief with the _Gamow_ breathing down their necks. The order was given and instantly put into action. The Lohnengrins were powered up and fired, at the _Vesalius_ just as the stolen G-Weapons got the order to withdraw.

* * *

Aboard the _Vesalius_, even more chaos reigned, if possible, as the positron shots barreled towards them. Commander Le Creuset ordered a hard starboard thrust to get clear. One beam missed, but the other grazed the port side of the _Vesalius_ and a grazing blow from just one Lohnengrin was very, very uncomfortable. The shot tore through the armor and did crippling internal damage to the port side area and engine. Explosions ripped through the ship and crew members were vaporized from the intense heat alone. The ship shuddered and drifted further to the right and out of the way of the _Archangel_. The _Vesalius_ would need a major port to effect rapid repairs, so a trip home was in order. Yet the battle continued being waged.

* * *

Yzak was furious beyond belief! He hadn't been this furious since he was little. That was when he met Crim Eagleton who showed him that anger can and would be self-destructive. He charged Kira and the Strike with all that he and the Duel had. Athrun, Nicol, and Dearka telling him it was time to go. It was then that the Strike's beam rifle sputtered twice, then failed. When that happened the PS Armor failed. Yzak moved in for the kill, that was when Athrun intervened.

Switching to mobile armor mode on the fly – quite literally – Athrun captured the Strike and Kira along with it. Immediately over open frequencies, the ZAFT pilots bickered back and forth. Kira was a little stunned and a little confused when he called out to Athrun.

"What are you doing Athrun?"

"_I'm taking you to the _Gamow_."_

"No way! I'm not setting foot on any ZAFT ship!"

"_Stop it Kira!"_

Kira stopped, frozen.

"_I already lost my mom in the BloodyValentine. I do not want to lose another friend too. So just stop it or I'll have to kill you."_

Kira was absolutely stunned. He had no support, because the other two mobile suits had already returned to ship, low on power and obeying the recall order. Neither were available to come to the rescue, but then a hail of projectiles came flying from out of the sun and an orange mobile armor, a Zero, with a white feather followed, spitting more fire from its Linear Gun and its Wire Gun Barrels. Lt. La Flaga landed the hits that counted and freed the Strike, not to mention scattered the ZAFT units as the attack and rescue was yet another impossible feat made possible by the Hawk of Endymion.

"Move it kid! The ship is launching the Launcher Striker Pack! Move it and get it!"

The other three mobile suits were shocked by the sight of the Zero and moved to support their ally, but Duel veered off and began to pursue the Strike as the Strike handed back to get the Launcher Striker. The other stolen G-Weapons were being held off by Lt. La Flaga who did so quite the skill and valiantly. The Duel still pursued and the G-Weapons recovered from their initial surprise and began to counterattack. With the time brought, Lt. La Flaga chose to live and escape then die needlessly.

* * *

Launcher Striker was launched and it flew out into the vast void as the Strike shed the Aile Striker it had gone into battle with. Just as the Launcher Striker was closing in, the Duel got a lock and Yzak fired the Duel's Rocket Propelled Grenade, or RPG for short. The last piece of the Launcher Striker looked into place on the Strike just as the PRG hit. There was an incredible explosion as everyone waited with his or her breath held.

"Did I get it?"

A cobalt covered crimson beam flew forth from the center of the smoke. The Duel's right arm and beam rifle were hit, slagged, and melted in tiny sub-atomic particles. The Strike came charging out, Kira yelling a battle cry of his own as he fired the 320mm "Agni" Hyper Impulse Cannon several times in rapid succession, as Lt. La Flaga engaged and kept at bay the Buster that had decided to join the fight. Athrun ordered a full retreat. Nicol agreed because of their batteries running low power. The four machines fled towards the _Gamow_, hyper impulse blasts hot on their tails.

* * *

The Strike and the Zero returned to ship as the Archangel accelerated to get to Artemis Base. At the same time, the pilots of the stolen G-Weapons arrived safely with-in the _Gamow's_ hanger. In the locker room, Yzak took his anger out on Athrun who did nothing to defend himself. Then Shiho came in and began to break up the fight.

"Yzak remember what Commander Eagleton always said about losing a fight, but living to fight again another day!"

"Learn from the teacher known as defeat, you will learn how to win in the future."

With that the two left, Shiho mouthed 'time' and Athrun knew what she meant. Give Yzak a little room to cool down and then talk to him. That would take about a couple of hours. Dearka only shook his head as Nicol entered.

"Man Athrun, I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through. It would be like me and Yzak fighting, that sucks," he then left.

"Sorry about your friend Athrun, but we need to rest for now. We're get them next time, but you need to get your priorities right or more of us are going to die," Nicol then left.

"I know," Athrun said as he left as well.

* * *

In the hanger of the Archangel, Mu La Flaga floated up to a gathered crowd of mechanics. The scene was similar with Yzak before the battle. As the Hawk pushed his way through the crowd he found out what was wrong and inquired to Chief Murduch.

"The kid simply refuses to come out, I don't know why, we've been trying to coax him for the last few minutes."

"Open it manually! Kira Yamato! Hey kid! Kira Yam…" Mu La Flaga's voice immediately softened as he saw that Kira was suffering from Shell Shock and combat fatigue.

Those two things are never a good combination, unless you're the guys attacking the ones suffering. Talking softly and removing Kira's hands from their white-knuckle grip on the control sticks, he managed to talk the kid out. Just as Kira gets out of the mobile suit, he suddenly spasms and the Hawk with the help of the Bear quickly got Kira's helmet off and in front of his face as he empties his stomach the hard way. Then Sakura comes and helps the poor pilot up to the infirmary.

* * *

As the Archangel closes distance with the Artemis Base, Mu La Flaga pulls Kira off to the side as he leaves the infirmary and tells him to put lock on the Strike's systems so only he has access to them. Kira nods not understanding, but trusting the older pilot. Already the other three Strikes have locks on their systems, which in the case of the damaged Highland Strike GAT-X106, means they can't do a system check or anything else. It's believed that Crim Eagleton put the lock on his system prior to the final skirmish at Heliopolis. Then, before he was pulled out, he locked the mobile suit down and probably said the password during his delusion period. At the moment no one really cares.

* * *

On the bridge, a Eurasian military officer has arrived to guide the Archangel into port, while on the stern viewing deck, Sai Argyle and Flay Allster watch as the ship docks with the base. Sai tells Flay all about what he knows of the Light Wave Barrier, the Umbrella of Artemis. As the ship finishes docking, shuttles bearing armed troops approach the ship and capture the members of the crew who had gone out to help with docking procedures. Captain Ramius immediately demands an explanation from the Eurasian officer, while down in sickbay, an injured eagle is about to kick some vulture tail.

* * *

Hope you like this chapter. It took me forever to get it just right. I know I skip a lot of scenes, but I've hit a bit of slump. I also wanted to devote more time to battle and a little information on two of the three new Strikes. Bet you all just love that. I've also been told that some of my stories lacked detail.

I practically re-watched **_Phase Shift Down_**, that I'm dreaming the battle in my sleep and waking moments. It's not down pat, but enough so I could write this chapter. I also decided to just stick with the Zero and the Strike out during the final moments of the battle and I also noticed a lot of people mistake the La Flaga's attack run on the Buster as fire from the 320mm "Agni" Hyper Impulse Cannon. Well, its not.

I also decided to introduce Shiho early on. Actually I debated that part, because I know so little about. Oh well, put her in anyways and now you know why Yzak was married at a young age and now he has a real reason to fight. So I hope you enjoy as I'm going to throw a couple more curve balls down the road, I have the ideas, always had, but how to put it. Well let me know what you think!

Oh yeah, as for the vulture remark combined with the eagle. That's jsut a little something that harks back to World War 1 and 2.


	6. Vanishing gundamGreat Escape!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

"_**The Endymion Ghosts"**_

_**Chapter Five: "Vanishing Gundam, Escape from Asteroid Fortress Artemis!"

* * *

**_

**Port side Sickbay, just outside the door**

Three Eurasian soldiers came running down a hallway and saw a man in Alliance whites with an officer insignia on his left upper chest. They moved to take him prisoner, but as they approached, they saw what appeared to be an Infantry Combat Badge, something they had never thought they could get assigned to the backwater post they were at. Then they saw a flash of steel and the third man was begging for his life. The other two turned and saw the two just a couple of yards behind them. Then suddenly, their ally stopped talking. He fell, there was no blood, but a loud cracking sound had been heard. The man's neck was broken.

The two remaining men raised their carbines and prepared to kill the enemy officer, but a flash of steel and both fell. Their blood was flowing freely from their copses. The officer was indeed fast and strong, he had to be. If he could not be fast and strong, he would be very, very dead. He knew his Seed had exploded, he knew of his great strength that had…

'No, not now, not until the day when it is all over," he thought and left to hide the copses.

* * *

On the bridge, a Lieutenant Commander Biddulph took all the officers on the bridge prisoner, claiming they would need to identify themselves and brief them on the situation. As the four female officers were lead away they meet up of the five pilots going the other way. The kid, not being an officer was safe, for the time being and the Crimson Eagle lay in Sickbay without officer ID. That was only half right. Kira Yamato was safe for the moment, but Crim Eagleton was not in Sickbay, but only the Eurasian soldiers were in danger.

"I hope their benefits are paid up," remarked the Lunar Cherry Blossom.

Herded aboard a launch, the officers were taken into Artemis itself and led to the commander's office. Quickly changing the background from that of a view of the Archangel to some greenery, the base commander welcomed the group of officers.

"Greetings! Welcome to Artemis!"

* * *

Meanwhile back aboard the Archangel, the civilian refugees and the dozen civilian volunteers were starting to get worried. The ship's surviving regular personnel were starting to wonder what was going on. While throughout the ship, guards were getting restless as members of the boarding party began not to check in. That was when a young Eurasian officer walked down a hallway to see a man stuffing three bodies into a garbage chute.

"Hn… Boss you really need to learn not to be so messy," the man said, his dark brown eyes gazing over the bloodstains as he scratched his black hair.

"Well then help me out Rhines!" Crim Eagleton ordered his man.

"SIR!" Rhines said and began to help.

Adolph Rhines had a deep German background. Unlike his commander, Crim Eagleton, Adolph was a Second Generation Coordinator who specialized in covert operations and information gathering. He was also very afraid of the Crimson Temper. No one really had the courage, save for his wife and children to challenge him when Crim lost his temper. Adolph Rhines was pretty much typical of any man with Germanic background, though he was actually similarly built like Athrun Zala, but he was a full head and half taller than the young man. He had pretty much normal skin tone of average white.

The two men completed their task, as a fire team of Eurasian soldiers rounded the corner, both knew what had to be done and Crim struck first.

"Get off my ship! You filthy Eurasian pig!"

"Damn up and comer!"

The two began to fight and the three soldiers rushed to their officer's aid. Crim took off, as Adolph began to wander away from the soldiers seemingly in a daze. Two of the three gave suit, but lost Crim. The alarm was sounded.

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the Commandant Garcia's office**

"Well it would appear that four of you are authentic Atlantic Federation officers, but the last…" Commandant Garcia said.

"I'm a special operations operative that has been seeking a leak with-in the Enforcer. All I can say is that I come from the Republic of East Asia," Sakura Ryosouke said.

"Very well, but it will take some time to re-supply your vessel so…" the Commandant is interrupted.

"SIR! Commandant Sir!"

"Yes Zukov, what is it?" he asked, though he was boiling underneath.

"Sir an officer from the white ship has been found attacking our men! He's killed a number of them!" Zukov was panicky.

"WHAT!" the older man yelled.

"I guess Crim woke up early and found that you have control of our ship," the Hawk said.

"Crim? What a minute! As in Crim "Crimson Eagle" Eagleton of ZAFT?" the commandant was shocked.

"Yes, he had grown weary of the war and deserted. He had fled from ZAFT shortly after Nova and has been in hiding in Heliopolis. Apparently he stole vital ZAFT secrets when he fled. He had gone to work with Moregenroete, but was unable to make it to a shelter during the attack and had been piloting are damaged mobile suit when he had been hit by a section of the support shaft," Lieutenant (Senior Grade) Murrue Ramius said covering for the Crimson Eagle.

"I see, but why attack my men?"

"He is actually under orders to keep a certain biological formula under guard," the Lieutenant (Senior Grade) Mu La Flaga said.

"OH! What kind of biological formula?" asked the Commandant.

"Sir, I thought you said you were a veteran of the Grimaldi Front?" the Hawk taunted.

"WAIT A MOMENT! You don't mean an anti-Natural Biological Weapon Formula! Those bastards!" Garcia slammed his fist onto the table.

"Now you know why he's been keeping it safe. His orders came all the way from Sigel Clyne himself!" the Hawk of Endymion finished.

"I see, after Bloody Valentine, I don't blame them for developing it, but I'm glad to hear that some considered it far too dangerous. Do you know where he keeps the formula?"

"Yes, the formula is actually kept by the only person who knows where it really is and is the only survivor from the research team, the Crimson Eagle having seen to that," the Hawk said.

"What of intelligence?" the question was directed to the 'spy.'

"First I've heard of it, it must have been kept real quiet or we never knew," was the unwanted reply.

"Consider yourselves confined until further notice."

* * *

**_ZMS Gamow_, _ZMS Star Guard_, and the newly arrived _ZMS Nazca_**

"Something stinks if they sent the flagship of Team Eagleton," said Dearka Elsman.

"Shut up Dearka! It's not like any of them are aboard, but I find it insulting that his ship was turned into a trainer and they sent trainees!"

"No argument, how about you Shiho?"

"I agree Nicol, but also Dearka is right, something is amiss here. Why is a trainer this far out?"

"According to the chief instructor and the captain, neither knows. They've been getting odd orders for a week and a half now," said Captain Zimmer.

"Maybe they want to insult Commander Eagleton with his own ship, but he's dead, isn't he?"

"I found his helmet, not even he could survive that kind of blow."

"But he survived a lot worse!"

"Nicol, he did survive a lot worse, but he had never fully recover from Endymion, few actually did. He not only suffered mentally and physically, but emotionally he was badly wounded. Though it wouldn't be him, maybe he sought death as a release, but I doubt it. Most likely his wounds suffered covering the evacuation of the Lunar Forces also added to the damage and he just wasn't able to survive."

"We need a way in. We need to at least find his body, I'm sure that some excuse can be made for him."

"My machine Blitz can sneak by thanks to a special function. If you had to classify it, it would most likely be for shock attacks, covert operations, and special-forces assignment."

"Then we will withdraw and hide and wait for the shield to drop. Then you launch and attack."

"Now no one would say that we failed!"

"Let's do it!"

* * *

**Four hours later**

The Umbrella of Artemis was lowered and the Blitz was launched. During those four hours, things for the crew of the _Archangel_ and their civilian passengers had gone from bad to worse.

* * *

**Two hours earlier**

As Kira sat and picked at his food like most everyone was doing, a large squad of troops, a full platoon came in and took defensive positions. Then Commandant Garcia entered the mess hall where the important personnel and a number of refugees were being kept. He then asked for the pilots of the mobile suits. Chief Murduch tried to keep the kid from getting up and saying it was him. When told that Flaga was one of the pilots and the mobile complement commander, so talk to him, Garcia said that they knew that La Flaga was in the mobile armor and they had one of the mobile suit pilots.

It was then that Garcia grabbed Mirillia Haw, who had been wearing Alliance female volunteer hot pink uniform, by the wrist and saying it was she was one of the pilots. Kira bolted up and said he was one of the pilots of the mobile suits. Garcia at first rebuked it, but remembered that the Crimson Eagle was aboard.

"Another Coordinator, eh… Where do you come from son?"

"I'm from Heliopolis, I was a technical student there."

"Figures you were, but now we have a real traitor to ZAFT and the rest of those Coordinators with-in our grasp."

"Traitor! ME!"

"Yes, your betraying your fellow Coordinators is quite surprising."

"Bring the boy and the girl, they're the pilots."

"Mir isn't a pilot! The…" Flay Allster was interrupted by Mirillia Haw.

"Flay its alright! I'll be fine, after all I may not know much about fighting, but I was a technical student too, so they have me, oh well."

The two were marched out and into the hanger. The platoon left as well and a change of the guard occurred. As soon as the last of the platoon and the old guard had rounded a corner and left, the new guards spoke up.

"Listen up! This base is about to fall, all personnel to your posts!"

"What?" asked one of the engine room mechanics.

"We're members of the Avenging Eagles security team, did you really think that the boss wouldn't have figured this is the place that you'd run to. He knew that you guys would, but we grossly underestimated the food supplies needed, not to mention water supplies, you'll have enough, but as for how long, no one knows," the men then left.

"Go figure! He probably put the code before he launched in his mobile suit," grumbled Chief Petty Officer Kojiro Murduch.

* * *

**The two hours later when the Blitz had launched**

"Sorry Kira, but I left the Field without thinking when I locked it down. I guess I screwed up the code or something," Mirillia sat across Kira's lap with a gun pointed to her head by a Eurasian.

"No problem Mir… Ah look here; you corrupted the data for the code and the OS. It appears that you didn't lose your combat data, but you can forget piloting this thing. Now only a Coordinator can, though considering we both threw up from Shell Shock and combat fatigue, well it's none too surprising this happened. I think I can get it back up and running like its supposed to, but it will take some time," Kira said as he realized he had actually unlocked the OS, but he quickly corrupted the data stream.

With time beginning to run out, Kira actually setting a record, made the GAT-X107 Field Strike Natural capable. Meaning that even Mir or anyone else aboard ship could fly the mobile suit. Mir could actually do so, because Kira had her reading the manual to increase the appearance that they were trying to find out what had been 'wrong' in the first place.

* * *

As silent as space itself, the Crimson Eagle had slipped by the Eurasians and into the Strike GAT-X105. He silently dispatched the lone guard and the three scientists who were trying to download its information and data, but a little safety system had kicked in and all they were really getting were a bunch of insults and other words and terms not fit for a polite conversation. Crim was happy he had installed that system that Lina Joule had come up with in secret. It made the mobile suit rather smart, very smart. That was when the first explosions and tremors hit.

The Artemis Space Fortress was under attack. With its Umbrella down, the defenders thought an ultra long-range bombardment was occurring. There was a scramble to raise and open the Umbrella of Artemis and that's when Nicol truly began to strike.

Deactivating the GAT-X207 Blitz's Mirage Colloid, Nicol Amafli attacked some of the nearest Light Wave Barrier emitters, destroying them and for the first time, breaching the defenses of Artemis. He continued to destroy them as the three ZAFT ships charged forward deploying their mobile suits. The resulting Battle of Artemis was a textbook victory for ZAFT, but the escape of the _Archangel_ was a textbook fiasco!

* * *

As mobile armor launched to defend the harbor, Mir used the thick _and_ hard spine of the GAT-X107 Field Strike's manual to strike the guard in between the legs. He stumbled out and another helped him up and away as Kira's hands danced across the controls and with Mir's help, they began launch procedures. Then they were walking out as Commandant Garcia yelled at the top of his lungs at them.

"_Garcia!"_

Everyone, but the two young kids, froze at the shout. Turning, everyone saw the Strike's amber eyes come to life and the head turn to look at the addressed.

"_Where Eagle's Dare, Justice is There! I'll be back to deal with you!"_

With all said, Garcia and his men fled from the ship. Eurasians were abandoning the ship left and right. They were boarding all the launches and heading back to the safety of their base. Even the base was not safe anymore as explosions ripped through it, killing dozens of personnel. Damage was heavy. The few mobile armor that had managed to launch were being destroyed outright and the even fewer ships that had launched, didn't live long.

* * *

ZAFT mobile suits began to engage the perimeter defenses and protect their rides home while inside, the G-Weapons led by the Blitz penetrated the internal defenses, destroying everything that attacked them. One of the mobile armors that had been hit had crashed into the command center, where Commandant Garcia had gone to command the battle. The damage and destruction was complete. The Artemis Fortress and the Artemis Fleet had been lost that dark day. Yet, Blitz was alone and had finally found the _Archangel_, but he also found the Field Strike equipped with the Sword Striker Pack. Heading to rest on the back of the _Archangel_ was the Strike, equipped with the Ramfire Striker Pack. Crim had no intention to join this battle and lose another helmet. He also knew they would be needing additional fire astern.

* * *

While on the other side of the port. Blitz and Field Strike went at it and the two began to circle and strike. The Blitz launched its penetrater darts. Those things were designed to pierce anything, unfortunately, that included Phase Shift Armor. Yet, Kira and Mir proved to be an able team and while Kira evaded, Mir adjusted her position to fire the "Panzer Eisen" rocket anchor, though the Blitz dodged that attack.

The two mobile suits separated a few tens of meters and stared one another down again, but Kira and Mir made the first move, by using the "Igelstellung" 75mm CIWS and the "Panzer Eisen." The Blitz skillfully evaded the attack, though it had barely done so, but Nicol almost didn't have time to bring his shield into place. It took the whole of the attack, flames and smoke erupted, as the blow was too much for the Trikeros Offensive Shield System. The right became useless as Nicol tried to put some distance between him and the Field Strike.

* * *

During the fighting on the surface of Artemis, a missile pod popped up and fired a burst of anti-material missiles, before a GINN destroyed it. One of those missiles caught an off guard CQUE, destroying the suit and throwing the pilot into the vacuum of space. As the pilot awaited death as the helmet continued to crack and then on the verge of blowing out, a strong arm pulled the pilot inside of the GAT-X102 Duel. The helmet gave, but instead of vacuum, forced air entered Shiho's lungs as the Duel finished resealing and pumping emergency atmosphere into the cabin.

* * *

The GAT-X103 Buster and five ZMGF-1068 GINNS caught up with the Blitz only to watch as the Field Strike brought the 15.68 meter anti-ship sword "Schwert Gewehr" with a down vertical cut right through the left arm and shoulder, severing the left arm from the mobile suit. The Field Strike brought the sword back and prepared to thrust it through the heart of the machine, but the Crim called it off.

"_The ship's leaving! Abort and Return ASAP!"_

Kira and Mir had just been about to strike, but followed the command and withdrew from the battle. After all, they weren't in the mobile suit really by choice. They just wanted to put some distance between them and ZAFT. All the ZAFT pilots could do was watch the ship with two mobile suits, one sending a couple of shots their way to keep them from pursuing, escape into the vastness of space. Yet, even as they escape and Crim looked over the enemy ships, he had one question.

"Where is the _Vesalius_?"

* * *

The ship in question was limping back to PLANT space with a small escort. Having received orders to appear before the Supreme Council on Aprilius One. The ship returned to homeport in very sorry shape. It was still leaking atmosphere and the hurried repairs to enable the ship to get home were starting to come undone. Only a skeleton crew remained aboard the _Vesalius_, all volunteer.

Rau Le Creuset knew that people would only take one guess and knows that the damage and losses incurred far out weigh the gains. He felt a headache coming on as he sneezed remembering something he hated. A wise crack from the Crimson Eagle about sneezing meaning someone is talking about you. Oh how he felt like breaking something, because the Eagle and the Hawk had joined together. Yet he also had a small smile… The war was about to go far worse, all he had to do was survive the Supreme Council and keep one of the radicals from turning soft. Now that headache was returning in full force.

"I HATE YOU EAGLETON!" he shouted in his empty office.

* * *

Exiting the Strike thousands of kilometers away and already feeling bad, Crim Eagleton sneezed and made for the nearest head. He knew he wouldn't be flying anytime soon, but at least they got a spare pilot.

* * *

As Mir lay back against Kira's chest, she felt something and knew they would need to exit soon. Problem was, they had guard duty. So both were trapped and drenched in sweat from the battle. Hopefully this wouldn't lead anywhere, though a rather dirty thought did get inside of Mirillia's head, but she shook it away as she heard a light snore.

Kira was asleep, having had to fight not only an exploding base, being called a traitor, the Blitz, and dozen other things, but rampaging hormones. Man, was he glad that Tolle Koenig was Mir's boyfriend. He wandered if, a big IF, they were to go… Kira shook his head and went into deeper sleep, not knowing the equally drained Mir had curled up into a ball against him.

* * *

Okay, Listen up! This is not going to be a Kira/Mir love story! Well, MAYBE. I still don't know, but a really sad truth of Crim Eagleton is coming up and we will find out why he and Yzak Joule were so gun-ho about the war early on. Also, there is more behind the scenes that not even the stagehands know about! Forget the actors not knowing. Let's use the Force and find out!

Just kidding! No there WILL NOT be a crossover here. That's final! Anyone asks and I'm sending you to Iraq! And forgetting to ship the water too, so don't push it.

Ah! I found Inspiration once more and will be typing up a storm. Hopefully, I've only recovered a little, so I'm still rather on shaky legs. So keep those reviews coming! Also, say good-bye to Shiho for a bit, she's heading back to the PLANTS to recover. Also note, Gerard Garcia did not die in battle at Artemis. The fool survived the war, if you don't believe me, then you haven't read the Astray Manga, because I have and that fool lived through the war, I think… He had a rather humiliating encounter with pirates, but the Serpent Tail crew bailed him out, naturally, Eurasian had to dish out the cash, but they got their base back.

All you who know what's next know what's about to happen and yes, Crim will have his enemies, but we will also get a treat to how the officers got back to the ship. Till then, signing off!


	7. The Scar of Space

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

**_"The Endymion Ghosts"_**

**_Chapter Six: "The Scare of Space"_**

**Earth Space, approaching the Debris Belt**

Eagleton sat off to one side of the bridge holding a bag in case his stomach decided to turn on him again. He hadn't been able to eat for a couple of days now and it showed. He was quite irritable and didn't look to good. He had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep and every now and then he hurled his lunch. His skin was deathly pale and his eyes looked more pink than red forget crimson. He said all he needed was some real orange juice, but the ship didn't have any orange juice aboard. So he was in a bad way for a little bit.

The gathered officers were telling the bridge crew of their escape from detainment back on Artemis. Like there was much else to do. It had been decided to go and get some food and water from the debris belt. Though not one of the volunteers had been told that was what they were going to do. Though Crim had seen to it, that they wouldn't even need to scavenge the dead like jackals, or worse, at least to him, vultures.

As he listened in, he had to laugh. After the first few explosions, Lieutenant (Senior Grade) Mu La Flaga had started to yell about a crack in the wall, followed by Ensign Justin Glick, then Ensign Loretta Red-Rains, and finally the Captain, Captain (Acting) Murrue Ramius. As the door opened Lt. Flaga and Ens. Glick attempted to take out the guards, only to encounter the top elite of Eagleton's old security team. The resulting chaos had everyone in a three-minute melee until an explosion had tossed them, anime like in the Crimson Eagle's opinion, into a big heap of arms and legs. To top it off, Justin released a string of curses that even made him blush.

All in all, it had been a rather funny and comedic escape, especially in Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James. Lt. James had made it back to the ship minus her skirt. She also had been closest to the explosion, so she also looked like a coal miner when she got back to the ship.

The jokes going back and forth and the fact that Capt. Ramius and Lt. Flaga had landed holding one another just added to the joking around. That was when Flay Allster appeared on the bridge and in her hand was a bottle of orange juice. Crim looked about ready to cry.

"I found some orange juice Captain Ramius," Crewman Second Class Allster said.

"Oh! Good work Crewman Allster! Commander Eagleton… Where did he go?" everyone looked left and right.

"I may be ill, but that doesn't mean I can still move! Thank you Crewman Allster!" Crim smiled happily and then proceeded to drink the orange juice, slow and easy to prevent an adverse reaction.

"A woman said that she had forgotten she had brought some when she and his children came aboard. It's a little warm, I tried to chill it for a few minutes," she said.

"Ah! THAT HITS THE SPOT!" Crim did appear to look better

The bridge crew were happy that he looked better. Then he looked at Crewman Allster with what can only be described as big, puppy dog eyes. C2 Allster looked a little taken back and took a step back. She was understandably nervous. Crim for some reason, when he wanted too, could appear to be a child at heart.

"Is there any more Ms. Flay?" he asked kindly.

"Actually a little more, we also found some frozen orange juice in the back of the freezer," Crim was gone before they knew it.

"I guess orange juice does help a little with nausea," the Hawk of Endymion said.

"Though now that he is gone, what about his people that had been on Artemis?" asked Ens. Badgiruel.

"Good question, they seemed to have been expecting us, but we didn't know that we would be going to Artemis until the destruction of Heliopolis," the Captain said.

"That's an easy question!" piped up Sakura Ryosouke, "He is notoriously famous for back up plans, almost to the point of paranoia! It can be rather creepy at times."

"But I thought that you two cut all your connections with ZAFT?" asked Lt. James.

"Good point, but he's been keeping secrets even from Lina and me, so don't expect any answers any time soon. You'd think he served with the Atlantic Federation's Spook Corps."

"Yes, one might think that, but wasn't he on the planning staff?" asked Captain Ramius.

"He was demoted for punching out a fellow officer who spoke of giving no quarter to Alliance soldiers and he had a really big fight with Patrick Zala that it came to blows in front of the Supreme Council," the Luna Cherry Blossom said.

"I remember hearing of that, but I didn't think it was bad," said Lina Joule.

"Oh it would have been worst, had not all the other council members sided with Crim, including radicals. You see, Crim understands the multiple options of MAD or…"

"Mutual Assured Destruction!" Lt. James just about fainted when she heard that.

"Yep! He was one of the biggest advocates for Electricical Magnetic Pulse weaponry and N-Jammers," said the young ace of ZAFT.

"Those weapons would only disable not destroy enemy vehicles and ships on land and sea as well as knocking aircraft out of the sky," the Hawk was thinking deeply.

"What happen to the EMP weapons?" asked Ens. Red-Rains.

"Some of the equipment, the most vital with the technicians were in transit and had stopped for a bit at Junius Seven, since Crim had wanted to be in attendance for…" Lina Joule stopped talking and shot a glare only to find she was receiving one from Sakura.

"You know he says never to talk about it, so that's it for today," she left, her voice uncharacteristically cold and harsh.

"Excuse me," Lina left as well.

"In attendance for what?" asked Volunteer Sai Argyle, as C2 Allster sat next to him.

"Don't know, but it would be nice to have some dirt on him. After all, he had to shot his mouth off and ended getting me an impromptu draft order from the Captain. I'm neutral for crying out loud," and she did cry out loud about it.

"But you were born in the Atlantic Federation _**and**_ have lived in the Atlantic Federation **_and_** you also have maintained your Atlantic Federation citizenship, thus you were eligible for the draft and were drafted or we can just throw you into the brig and shoot you later when we arrive at Lunar Headquarters for Draft Dodging," that was a statement, not a question from Ens. Badgiruel.

Flay's mumbled language made Sai blush and got her an extreme talking down from the officers.

* * *

**That night, Starboard Dormitory, Officer Country, Crim Eagleton's private quarters**

The nightmares came back full force, but they weren't that of any battles a ZAFT soldier fought. He writhed uncontrollably as the nightmare continued. It was his first command, three years of leading them. All ended one night with a surprise attack that left him the man he had become.

* * *

**Flashback**

_It was a cool night, an hour to dawn. The soldiers on guard were at full alert. They knew that if an enemy attacked, it would be during this time or during the changing of the guard. Even with the most advance security and surveillance technology in the world, human guards were instrumental in any security defense. Lapse in concentration meant one of your friends goes home in a body bag. These men were some of the best, they had trained for just about anything and everything, but this was something they did not train for. Betrayal by their own leaders._

_A young officer walked out of his barracks. He had blonde hair and blue eyes that held a sickly red to them. A pair of eyes that only his men had grown to know and even like. They knew that the moment someone that had information they needed and wanted, those eyes would be turned on the stool pigeon and they would get their information. This morning like any morning he wanted to personally check the perimeter. The men felt safe and secure if the 'old man' did this._

_As he was approaching the main gate to begin his inspection, the first missile made contact with it and the guards there. Then another missile hit the barracks for officers he had just left. At once the alarm rang and troops began to pour of bed, out of the barracks and into their fighting posts, but soon these were soon abandoned, as the enemy fire was too great and too accurate. Leading what was left of his command the old man led them into a forest area. As he led them, he looked back to what had been his base, his first base command. He turned only to see a man with a sick smirk, a devilish gleam in his eyes, and a gun in his face. The trigger was pulled._

**End Flashback**

* * *

Crim shot up screaming his head off. His screaming sounded throughout the ship. Lina was the first to reach him. Following her were the officers, then dozens of people. They all saw Crim clutching Lina like a child would grasp onto a mother after a nightmare. They could he the muffled sobs from the scared man as the Captain ordered everyone out of the room. She turned and thought for a moment in the darkness of Crim's room that he had blonde hair and blue eyes, that held a sickly red to them, but as she blinked she saw his normal red hair and red eyes, but they seemed to hold a slight shimmer in them that hadn't been there before.

_'What are you hiding Crim, now you resemble him?'_ she thought as she left and closed the door.

* * *

**Entering the Debris Belt approaching a large object in the field of debris**

As the _Archangel_ entered a section of the Debris Belt, Kira Yamato and Mirillia Haw were on their way to the locker room to change. This would be Mirillia's first combat escort and patrol sortie as a mobile suit pilot. She would be piloting the Woodland Strike, GAT-X108. The Dark Side Bear had received orders to pilot his fully repaired and overhauled Mobius Zero Mobile Armor. Though mobile armor would be of little use as their primary strength was speed, in a CQC environment, speed was a handicap. Yet Crim had come up with a plan to cover that base.

As the two entered, they saw the four older pilots talking. It was odd seeing the **_"Four Masters of Luna"_** talking about what they planned for after the war, but one of them was really and uncharacteristically quiet. Crim was just leaning off to one side, not even really engaged, but giving his opinion in the talk. It was then that Sakura noticed Mir.

"AH! You're finally here, here you go!" she said as she grabbed a flight suit and helmet out of her locker and handed them to the brunette.

"Umm…" Mirillia knew it was a flight suit, but it seemed different.

"It's my old flight suit from when I was your age. It should fit you, might be a bit snug and show off your assets a bit more, but that's about it," she said, remembering her first time in the cockpit.

"Thank you, but why give this to me?" Mir would have just worn the regular white with orange trim.

"I heard how you handled the Field Strike's weapons while Kira did the piloting. True he wouldn't have really needed help, but you two left the Blitz in rough shape. No way they will ever get that up and running any time soon. We have a very small chance of getting some breathing space," she said.

"Thank you very much, but I have to admit I'm pretty nervous," Mir was and to a point were her legs were shaking.

"Fear is both an enemy and friend," Crim spoke with a deep sadness, "Fear can make you unwilling submit and roll over, but to some, especially soldiers, that fear is a trigger. After we take cover and see we are not alone when comes to fear, when it comes to death, we gain the courage to advance into hell itself. Courage has been mis-defined as not having fear, but it's just the opposite. That fear is our strength, we use it to both terrify the enemy with a grand charge and we use it to give us the strength we need, the strength of wanting to live. In this occupation, death is just around the corner, but we use the fact that we are scared to die to fight and live, to live to see tomorrow. Soon you will see my fear, my fear that manifested itself. I have long ago hidden supplies where we are headed. We will find the spare parts not only for the GINNS, but for the Zeroes as well. There will be food and munitions as well. So we won't be starving anytime soon."

With that said Crim began to change into his flight suit, followed by the others. Mir though was shocked to see them changing in front of her, when she felt someone already starting to unbutton her uniform jacket. She looked to see Sakura with a smile on her face.

"Well, get used to it, if that is even possible. This is behind the real scenes of war, you will live through it so don't despair. Crim's happily married and Justin is engaged to Ensign Loretta Red-Rains. The Pink Princess is Kira's type, though I think I heard Crim say that you two would be an excellent couple as well. Then I'm pretty sure that Hawk would fall for someone like the captain," Sakura help settle Mir's nerves, but only a bit.

Kira saw Mir's name on the locker next to him and knew that someone set this up. He noticed Sakura guide Mir over to the locker next to him and heard her give Mir some advice. Mir nodded and started to change, it was only when Mir was only in her blue bra and panties that she took note of Kira next to her. Kira turned his head and grabbed his flight suit and started to put it on. Just as he got his legs into the pant legs, he felt a small hand on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw that the custom flight suit given to Mir, was like Sakura's regular one. Having – rather forced to – help Sakura put her suit on a couple of times, Kira began to aid Mir. The suit was kimono-styled and was a soft orange with gentle blue with soft white cranes instead of sakura flowers which both found odd. Soon Mir zipped in closed and helped Kira quickly put his flight suit on. As the two stepped out into the hallway, they saw Sakura who was smiling happily.

"I thought so… That flight suit is a bit tight," Mir just gave her a look that said "A BIT?"

"Yet, it suits you and my younger sister would be proud, it was actually hers," Sakura sadly said.

"You have a younger sister?" Kira questioned.

"Had a younger sister. We found her body after the First Battle of Jachin Due… She never made it to the locker room before her ship was sunk. They had been on border watch and they were ambushed, we found the ship and I retrieved the suit," Sakura wiped away some tears, then spoke again, "Right, I can cry later, but now we have a mission, I know this is your first official mission since sparing in the Woodland Strike and Field Strike against either Justin or me, but just remember to stick close to one of us. Knowing Crim, you just might be number two on his wing. We will be launching with Aile Packs, so let's go."

The three headed down to the hanger.

* * *

**Adrift in the Debris Belt, on a chance course with the _Archangel_**

A young girl in a white dress top and soft purple skirtsat in an emergency escape pod. She had been drifting for a couple of days now and had fallen asleep. With her was a small pink ball. Both didn't move, the only movement was the girl's chest rising falling with her steady breathing. She had about six days worth of air left and just about as much emergency rations. Yet fate had delivered her to her path to meet two people for a reason. Perhaps to heal one soul and find happiness with another, all will tell in good time.

* * *

**_Archangel_ Mobile Escorts**

Sakura had been right about Mirillia being number two on his wing, but she never expected that she would be number three and Kira taking up the trail position. The four mobile suits moved forward, slow and easy. The Zeroes were outriders and scouting the flanks and rear; the one good thing about mobile armor in a debris zone is that their speed allows them to trail behind and to the flanks of ships to provide a lower silhouette and high-speed rear line escorts. If an enemy did get behind them, their heavier duty radar and sensors would enable them to alert a battleship or a battle group to a rear or flank attack.

Yet what had surprised most was that Crim had taken Lina with him. All were very much surprised by that. Even Lina was surprised, but she also knew why, or rather she thought she did. As the group moved forward followed closely by the _Archangel_, they spotted something big and three of the seven people in the escort knew what it was immediately. The rest and the people aboard the _Archangel_ only began to realize what they were seeing when they got close to it.

"ITS JUNIUS SEVEN!" Kira exclaimed.

"It can't be!" CPO Arnold Neumann said.

"The ruins of a home of almost 243,721 people… A place of farming with no weapon production facilities, only a defense force of militiamen numbering at 14,369 not even a tenth of the population and few heavy weapons," Crim said sadly over the radio and then added, "My first command as a ranked ZAFT officer."

Eyes went wide after he said that, not even Sakura and Lina knew he had been the commander of the defense force at Junius Seven. Few actually did know, because he was one of ZAFT's greatest heroes. He could not fail and people didn't want to believe he could. Yet here was his very first real command as a ranked ZAFT commander, broken and shattered, completely destroyed. Many just couldn't believe that one of the greatest men in history had the dubious title of being the Commander of the Junius Seven Defense Force.

What he said had set of alarm bells in Lt. James head and she voiced them over the radio.

"Commander Eagleton, does this mean that your wife and son were also on Junius Seven?" all looked to her, realizing as she did that the possibility was high.

"So was my daughter and grandson, Junius Seven was were we lived and I planned to retire to farming as I got older," Crim's voice was shaky, but he still managed to tell them the true story.

"My god!" Ens. Red-Rains covered her mouth in shock.

"I…" Captain Ramius was at a loss for words.

"If anyone had the right to have vengeance…" Lt. James didn't finish.

"I don't believe it," Kira and Mir said echoing the thoughts of many.

* * *

**Supreme Council Chambers, Aprilius One, PLANTS**

At that moment, with the Archangel crew being led to the destroyed remains of Junius Seven. The PLANT Supreme Council was meeting to discuss the destruction of Heliopolis and the eight G-Weapons. Included in the meeting was Commander Rau Le Creuset and ZAFT Top Gun Red Coat, Athrun Zala.

The two had arrived aboard the crippled Vesalius and had boarded a shuttle. Aboard the shuttle was Defense Council Chairman and Supreme Commander of ZAFT, Patrick Zala, Athrun's father. When both saluted him, he told them no formalities and even told them that them meeting never took place. This didn't sit well with Athrun and as the flight to Aprilius One proceeded, he liked it even less, but kept his piece. Patrick Zala was confident that they would be able to keep Kira Yamato a secret.

Upon arriving and listening to the report given by Rau Le Creuset, the council seemed to have a break between them. A disagreement about how the war should continue. Then Councilman Zala inquired if the losses and troubles gone through over the eight machines and the destruction of Heliopolis had been worth. To point out this fact, Le Creuset had Athrun give a report to the council. At the end, anotherargument broke out again, until Councilwoman Ezalia Joule called for order herself. Her aide took three steps back and stood awaiting orders.

"Councilwoman Joule is something wrong?" asked Council Chairman Sigel Clyne.

"No, but I have just been informed that some information had been omitted from the official report concerning the pilots of the four remaining machines," she said giving Zala a death glare to which he gulped.

"May I ask what?" inquired Councilwoman Eileen Canaver.

"It appears that three of the machines are piloted by aces, to be more exact three of the **_'Four Masters of Luna'_**," she said.

This created quite the predicament. No one knew how to approach it. They had been shown combat footage, but they had seen the white feather of the Hawk of Endymion, so that could only mean one thing.

"Commanders Eagleton and Ryosouke are alive!" cried Councilman Amafli.

"But I thought they were dead… WAIT! THREE! That means the Dark Side Bear, Ensign Justin "Lucky" Glick of the 3rd Fleet!" cried out another.

"ORDER!" called Chairman Clyne.

"It also appears that the last machine is piloted by a Heliopolis technical student, age 16, but a First Generation Coordinator," Councilwoman Joule shot a look once more at Councilman Zala who started to fidget, Athrun stood up.

"If it pleases the Council I personally know the young man," Athrun said, hoping to save some of his father's dignity.

"Very well," said Chairman Clyne, not wanting to debate the situation at the moment.

"His name is Kira Yamato, he has unruly dark brown hair and clear violet eyes. He has a little mechanical bird named Tori at his side or rather on his shoulder all the time. He, up to a few years ago, attended a lunar prep school in Copernicus, I expected him to join me here at the PLANTS, but apparently he decided to side with his home nation of Orb and was caught up in the middle of this. I tried to persuade him to join his kind, but he refused, claiming his national origin as the Orb Union. He had once been my friend; I gave him Tori as a symbol of that friendship. He can be naive at times, but no one can question his skills with a computer or its programming. Chances are that if the Earth Forces didn't have a usable OS, they nowdo."

"I see… Hm… I would have liked to cons… How did you learn of this Councilwoman Joule?" all eyes turned to her.

She simply snapped her fingers and her aide handed her the disk that had arrived for her. It was from Yzak Joule, her son, but there was a second disk as well. They saw Yzak's first.

"_Mother, I have learned during the operation against Heliopolis that father is alive, but I believed him dead when he saved my life. At the time I was full of grief and sought out vengeance against the Alliance. He somehow survived, for he was killing Alliance personnel that had boarded the "Legged-Ship." We got a fairly accurate description from some prisoners takenand the use of a knife and a flash of steel, backed it up. It is one of his specialties he has passed on to me. A unique style of knife fighting in which a user uses whatever light that's avaliableto flash off his or her's knife, followed by rapid attacks. He is quite skilled, but he told me, not a master yet. He had taken out quite a few enemy soldiers and joined the battle when we attacked. He kept Dearka and some GINNS pinned down as the 'Legged-Ship' fled. He said something about too many secrets and genocide, about him having to stop it. If I know him, he should have the "Legged-Ship" moving to pick up supplies and pay his respects to his first command, Junius Seven. I think he wants the crew to know that he had commanded the defense force there and had not only lost his daughter and grandson, but his wife and son as well. I hope to see you when we arrive in a day for repairs and supplies, your son Yzak, signing off."_

The room was silent; few knew the truth, even to the Supreme Council. Patrick Zala among them. He had been Crim's commander and yet, he had no idea of what had really happened. Then the second message was inserted. It first showed the Avenging Eagle with the Cry of the Avenging Eagle. It was from Crim Eagleton.

"_Respected members of the Supreme Council, and I daresay with trouble, Councilman Patrick Zala. I say hello to the crazy lot of you! How dare you forget what we were fighting for! I mean ZAFT is really starting to act like the damn Alliance! So clean up your acts NOW! Or I'll just have oust the whole lot of you and personally see to new elections! Now onto business, but first on a side note, to my dear relative, Little Missy Joule since I can't figure out our exact relation, but with the way things are itjust might be sister-in-law for the ease of things. Howare youdoing, I hope this finds you in good health and to my dear friend Sigel Clyne, sometimes you need to take the bull by the horns, though I do recommend help because tackling it alone can be mighty dangerous me amigo."_

"_Well, I'm about to tell you that Rau Le Creuset, and my opinion still has not changed_ (Rau Le Creuset slumped into his chair trying to avoid this level of humiliation)_, just practically declared war on Orb! I should know, because since I was in hiding, I would need funds to survive, so I got a job in Orb, as well as diplomatic immunity and political refugee status, though I was not alone. I went to work on Heliopolis at the Moregenroete facilities there to help build Orb some mobile suits for defense. Yes you heard it right, Moregenroete was producing mobile suits for the Orb Self Defense Force when Rau came and blew the place up with D-Package ANTI-FORTIFACTION weapons! So naturally, using those in a close space, like a colony, it was only natural that his pilots would destroy the place, especially when they put their back to the support shaft! Since I know how differicult it is to get those weapons out without permission, I can only guess that Patrick Zala was in constant communication with the Le Creuset Team. Also, note that Heliopolis also had a lot of ZAFT deserters and Coordinators refusing to fight in the war on it. So I would have to ask, 'Zala is starting a war with Orb a good idea, because the next thing you would need to blow up is the rest of the country on Earth!"_

"_Now as for the Alliance Mobile Suits, the X-100 series, X-200 Series, and finally the X-300 series, Orb had no choice but to make them. The Alliance threatened to revoke Orb's neutrality. In response to this, certain members of the government that sided with the Alliance since the start of the war and members of the government that did not want to have a war with anyone, agreed to make the mobile suits and to protect Lord Uzumi Nara Athha, I got the job on Heliopolis, though they did not know that a lot of us were former ZAFT aces that had up until the attack, quit the war. That is one reason why they can outperform the GINN and the CQUE. That's pretty much all I got to say, so Nosvadona!"_

The message ended and now Sigel was rubbing the bridge of his nose. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

**Back with the _Archangel_**

As everyone started to load their newly acquired supplies, Crim was looking over his old home. As it would happen some Junk Techs had been in the area and found the stash, by pure luck that is. One of them had become trapped among the supplies after the pilot proved to be a real ditz until the _Archangel_ arrived. To the shock of all, there was a mobile suit with them. Crim and Ens. Glick were impressed by its appearance. Now the pilot, Lowe Gear, an old friend of Crim's, and a few members of the _Archangel_ crew stood in what had been the living room in what had been his home on the destroyed colony.

"I can't believe it Crim old buddy! This was your place! Not to mention some of the suits lying around Junius Seven and a few of the ships had been under your command. I don't even ever what to know what that must of felt like," Lowe said shaking his head.

"I know what you mean, I lost my mother and father to the famine, but I still have my brothers and sisters," Lt. James scanned the room with her brown eyes.

"Gee Crim I don't know what to say," said Mir as she looked at Crim's son, wife, and daughter float in space, dead.

"I won't ever get over it. If it isn't a nightmare of the troops I lost, its my…" Crim had been stepping towards them when he stopped as his boot came down on his old secret training gym door under the floor, but he heard an echo and the door held firm.

At once, there was someone banging on the door from underneath and the faint cries of help could be heard. Everyone spun into action; Lowe went flying out the door – almost quite literally – to get his computer AI Eight, and his fellow Junk Techs. Lt. James had also left and was calling the _Archangel_ for help. At once, a great attempt at a rescue was mounted. The first of its kind since no one has ever tried rescuing people from a secret underground gym on a colony that had been hit by a nuclear missile, since after all, this _WAS_ the first time for such a thing.

After a lot of ideas and a brief attempt at some trial and error ideas, Lowe Gear showed his genius and came up with a way to make an airtight airlock over the hatch. Crim described how the room was set up and that in an emergency, it could double as a shelter, but the attack had happened so suddenly, he didn't believe anyone made it, especially since he had not thought much about nuclear missiles in making the room.

As the mobile airlock was ready, Crim used his own mobile suit and created an opening for it. He said it was his responsibility, but his family had been moved and what he wanted salvaged, had been. The house was destroyed and the airlock was positioned. The airlock was pressurized, the door was open and the people came out. There were only a few survivors, but two stood out, a woman with midnight blue hair with jade green eyes holding a baby with silver hair.

Crim was one of the first to greet the survivors and they all recognized him, but his eyes fell on the small child, no more than two years old. He approached the woman, she smiled and handed him the child. Tears flowed freely as Crim held his grandson, alive and apparently well. He fell to his knees; the sounds of him crying and the sight of his tears made many turn and look at him and his young grandson, reaching up to him. The child's red eyes shining in the limited light, full of innocence as Crim was helped up by Lowe and his fellow Junk Tech Liam and led back into the _Archangel_ with the rest of the survivors.

After a few moments, operations to recover the hidden supplies resumed. It was a bit of a surprise for the survivors of Junius Seven to be rescued by an Earth ship of all ships. Yet it held two ZAFT aces and some Coordinator refugees onboard, which gave the survivors a sense of safety. Then they meet the captain of the ship as she personally went down to the mess hall to check on them.

"Hello, I'm Acting Captain Murrue Ramius of the Eight Lunar Fleet," she said as she greeted the survivors, one of them, the woman from earlier stepped forward.

"It's a pleasure, I'm Lenore Zala, I would like to thank you for coming to our rescue. We thought we had been given up for dead and would never escape," Lenore Zala said.

"The pleasure is my and my crews, we survived the destruction of Heliopolis so we understand better than anyone in the Alliance right now about the need to avoid bringing needless combat to the colonies," Captain Ramius responded.

"I was surprised that we were rescued by an Earth Forces vessel, but glad none the less, but why is Commander Eagleton onboard?" Mrs. Zala inquired, but he was close enough and not too engross in playing with his long lost grandson not to here her.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Zala, but your husband and I had a major falling out, same with a lot of soldiers of ZAFT. Desertion isn't as high as it had been, but just after Endymion it hit an all time high of three out of every ten, but the Alliance is still having their desertion problem which is roughly from last I heard two out every five," Crim said, seeing his grandson reach over towards the captain he gave a short laugh as the little one climbed from his arms into hers.

"Um… Commander Eagleton… I…" she was at a lost for words.

"I take it you were a fine teacher with a mother like personality that cared deeply for your students?" he asked.

"I had been, but how…" she was at a lost of words, Lenore laughed.

"It's one of his talents. To be able to tell people apart from others, reads them like a book. I guess you read something about my husband and that's why you left ZAFT, though…" she looked at the blue officer volunteer uniform.

"I only joined till we get back to Orb, I left this war behind," he said, but saw the captain, but knew, despite the face, she would keep quiet, but unfortunately, Chief Murdoch walked in.

"Hey Commander, we finished loading up most of those hidden supplies," he saw the child with silver hair and red eyes and knew to be the Crimson Eagle's grandson, but when he saw the Captain holding him with a gentle smile, even he could tell she would be a great mother.

"Hidden supplies? Only to Orb?" asked Lenore, with a smirk as others listened in.

"Okay, busted, but I have a reason, but I can't speak about, Commander Zala has gone a bit overboard, well a lot, but you know me, its not like I would willingly sign up, I just happened to be working on the Alliance Prototypes, taking vital information and funneling it to the Orb Military Mobile Suit Astray Project when the attack occurred, not my fault that Zala is losing not only his mind, but control over his men, though you might be able to help keep whatever sanity he has left, but for now I think…"

"_LEVEL ONE GENERAL QUARTERS! THE WOODLAND STRIKE AND THE STRIKE HAVE JUST DESTROYED A COUPLE OF GINNS! LEVEL ONE-GENERAL QUARTERS! MAN YOUR BATTLE POSTS! ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS! IT'S THE BLIGHT TEAM!"_

Crim was out of there faster than light. Captain Ramius handed little Yzak over to Mrs. Zala and made for the bridge as fast as she could get. Fear gripped the crew, but the sight of the Crimson Eagle launching into battle with a look that… no one knew how to describe it. No one aboard the ship really knew the whole tale between David Blight and Crim Eagleton, but those that knew, knew enough not to talk about in front of either.

* * *

**With Mirillia and Kira as they both were talking while on Picket Duty moments ago**

"_Survivors Kira, Survivors of Junius Seven including Crim's grandson! I am so happy for him!" _Mirillia was practically jumping up and down in her seat, unknowingly making Kira's job harder in that tight flight of hers.

"_Yeah, I know, it would be like finding survivors of Heliopolis stuffed into a shelter that failed to launch. I wonder if she got away?"_

"_She? Who do you mean Kira?"_

"_That blonde boy that was in Professor Kato's lab waiting for him was a girl… I… ah… accidentally groped her, um,ah, upper area,when we took cover from ZAFT commandoes," _he said blushing.

Mir's face was beat red as she watched as Kira scratched the back of his head, or rather back of his helmet with a nervous smile. She did something that only she could do; she began to laugh her head off at what he had just said. Kira blushed even more, but before they could continue, their alarms and warning systems started to go off. At once both were on it. They spotted a wrecked ship, but then…

* * *

**Supreme Council Chambers, Aprilius One, PLANTS**

The council finally let out and as the Supreme Council was leaving, a ZAFT messenger ran up to Chairman Clyne, not Councilman Zala. Chairman Clyne took the letter and gave it a once over. His face immediately paled, he then looked over to Rau Le Creuset and Athrun Zala, as they were conversing with Councilman Zala. He ran over to the three at once, the messenger following him.

"Commander Le Creuset how long until your vessel is ready?" Chairman Clyne inquired hurriedly.

"A day at the most, may I ask why sir?" the masked blonde hair commander asked.

"The _Silverwind_ has gone missing and my daughter was aboard! As soon as you are ready move out and head towards Junius Seven, she was going there for the preliminary investigation of the sight for the Memorial Delegation," the chairman said.

"I'll have all ships that can be repaired and launched with-in a twenty-four period mobilized at once, Mr. Chairman," Councilman Zala said, knowing the significance of the Clyne girl.

* * *

**Three hours later Junius Seven Ruins and a wrecked nearby silver with teal trim civilian ship**

Two Recon Type GINNS appeared from behind the wreckage of the ship with the name _Silverwind _on it. As Mir and Kira were sitting their weapons, Mir made a call to Sakura who was standing direct watch over the mobile worker pods. Sakura was surprised to say the least of the GINNS and their actions. That was until Mir reported the ship's name and Sakura was ordering everyone to lay low, but one of the pods had been spotted as the two GINNS were leaving and they turned back to investigate. The GINNS picked up the pod's IFF and ID signal as that belonging to the 8th Lunar Fleet of the OMNI Enforcer. They engaged, but were engaged by Kira and Mir. Mir's shoot had been true and one GINN was now part of the Debris Belt. The second GINN lost an arm and started to retreat, the two-seater's rear seated electronic warfare specialist was screaming on an open frequency about their discovery when Kira fired two more shots in rapid succession and the GINN was destroyed, but both of the crews had been spared the conditions of vacuum as they had been vaporized.

Both of the young pilots killed their radios and began to shake violently inside their cockpits, but then Kira, like at Heliopolis, picked up an SOS. He turned the main camera, which was the head and spotted a small life pod. He signal Mir as they both went over to it and began to retrieve when an Ion blast ripped through the area. The shot barely missed the life pod and the two Strikes. Then seven CQUE mobile suits painted in various colors came out nowhere, but were lead by a sword bearing CQUE. That CQUE had four deadly looking spikes on its shoulders and knees each, while the others had only one or two spikes. The leader was also painted black with red patches on the sides and shoulders with a red head. The red color was blood red. The rest was evil black with violent purple. The other suits were similarly painted, but outside of the standard evil black and blood red, they had tasteless splattering of different colors all over them.

Kira and Mira fired back and two CQUES carrying Ion Cannons were felled and exploded. Then Sakura and the Field Strike with the Zeroes arrived, but the remaining six broke formation while the leader went in for a killing blow on Mir's forest green body with black torso Woodland Strike GAT-X108, but the Cry of the Avenging Eagle pierced the airwaves and the leader barely had time to duck away from the collision, but his sword was caught clean down the center right through the blade from tip to bottom of the hilt, including the hand holding it.

* * *

**Inside the Life Pod from the _Silverwind_**

The young girl had awoken to a violent rocking of her pod and the little ball seemed to come to life as well. They both looked out and saw the battle going on, they also saw a piece of debris flying right towards them, but a mobile suit with a blue chest and red torso and everything else was white except for the feet and the shield and the red and black pack on its back. Its amber eyes burned with determination to rescue the pod, but the debris was coming closer, until…

* * *

**Kira and the GAT-X105 Strike**

Kira watched as the lead CQUE and the Crim's crimson colored Highland Strike GAT-X106 cut through his opponent's hand and sword as well as colliding with it and stopping it from attacking Mirillia. That was when he noticed another CQUE with a tacky bright green and mad dog orange blotches painted onto it knock a piece of debris towards the escape pod. Kira immediately threw the Strike into the race, but knew from the start he would never make it, but tried anyways. He closed rapidly; he only had one shot, as he opened up the Strike's hatch. In his mind's eye, a seed appear, bounced off something that left a ripple, like that in water, and it exploded. The Strike moved faster and just as the pod was hit and destroyed, he arrived and scooped up a girl his age with long pink hair and stunned baby blue eyes. She held a small pink ball clutched tightly in her hands as Kira resealed the hatch removed his own helmet and forced some air into her lungs. She began to breathe as the atmosphere inside the mobile suit returned, enabling anyone in it to breath without a helmet on.

Kira brought his head back and made for somewhere safe for the time being. He looked at the young girl who was smiling. She rested her head against his chest and seemed to be fine. Removing his gloves, he began to stroke her hair with his right hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked, admiring how she seemed to fit perfecting against his body and with in his arms.

"Yes, thank you kindly for saving me," she said with a voice so soft, that Kira guessed that had to be the softest he had ever heard.

The two just stayed together, resting. Kira had really pushed the Strike and its engines needed time to cool. He had hidden inside one of the old mobile suit hangers, but he wasn't the only as two mobile pods with Junk Tech IFF and ID signals sat only 30 meters from the Strike. They too decided to stay out of battle, but a Junk Tech mobile pod was not useful in battle anyways.

* * *

**Back on the Battlefield**

The lead CQUE stared at the GAT-X106 Highland Strike as it floated in front of it. A crimson frozen flame coming from its hand that meant a beam saber. The eyes also glowed red. All around them the fighting raged. Inside the CQUE, Commander David Blight looked at the enemy mobile suit in front of him; he knew Master of Aces Crim Eagleton piloted it. He now, could legitimately kill his biggest thorn. Blight knew that his ship the _ZMS Wasteland_ was nearby. It was a _Nazca_-Class warship with all its weapons aimed at where the _Archangel_ was approaching.

* * *

The trapped would have worked, but the two Zeroes had split off to look for the enemy ship. They spotted it and attacked, the crew had been caught off guard and severe damage was inflicted. The _Wasteland_ began to list from the hits taken. Fire raged unchecked as crew tried valiantly to save their ship. They succeeded.

* * *

Blight saw his ship in distress and looked about the battlefield. He saw Sakura's gentle white and soft blue-bodied GAT-X107 Field Strike cut two of his CQUES in half at the waist with a silver beam saber. He then saw Mir kicked one his other CQUES, the one that had nearly killed the occupant of the escape pod, then send an emerald dart right through the hip and spar ammunition, which ignited and destroyed the CQUE. Another tried to impale her, but she saw the attack and fired her Igelstellung and then pulled her jade beam saber out and slice the CQUE in two, from the head to the crotch, the CQUE exploded. He quickly looked over to his left and saw his last man fall to a mobile pod that had gotten the drop on him. Volunteer Tolle Koenig and Ensign Natarle Badgiruel piloted that mobile pod as they flew back to the mighty ship that had the appearance of a white angel with red trim and blue and yellow shields. The _Archangel _was now in position.

* * *

On the bridge, captain Ramius gave the order and the two Gottfrieds High Energy Beam Dual Barrel 220cm Mk. XXI Cannons fired. The _Wasteland_ took another direct hit and the captain was shouting his head off to Blight to withdraw.

* * *

Blight shook his head and left, but before he could leave, he had to get past the Crimson Eagle who now stood in his way. Fear overtook Blight, the same fear he used to cause in others. He had always feared Eagleton, but they had been on the same side. Now they were in different uniforms on different sides of the line. Eagleton struck and dismembered the CQUE of its arms and head. Then apparently satisfied, Crim left David Blight to limp back to his limping ship.

Crim called off the battle saying now they had a win worth talking about. David Blight's ship withdrew from the battle area. Crim then called on everyone to start looking for the Strike, which had gone missing. The search had hardly begun when Lowe appeared ready for battle.

"_Alright let me at them! I'll show'em to risk a person's life in a life pod!"_

"_Um, Lowe, they left… WHAT LIFE POD?"_

"_It was destroyed, but that pilot of the Strike sure was something, he flew in and rescued the damsel in distress!"_

"_Any idea where he is?"_

"_Yeah, Liam and Kisato are looking after them in an old mobile suit hanger on Junius Seven."_

Sakura decided to join the conversation.

"_Did she have long pink hair and a small pink ball?"_

"_Yep! She did, but as I said, that pilot was incredible you should have seen it! I mean a Coordinator assisted by computers wouldn't be able to make that kind of move."_

"_I have long suspected Kira is not an average Coordinator, his skills are both natural and enhanced, but to a degree that should be impossible. Though I'm one to speak, our job is to…"_

"_Make the impossible possible! I am good! Oh yeah!"_

"_I wonder when those two would show up. Nice run boys, _Archangel_ practically saw no action, save for one volley. Also, Mu, you took the words right out of my mouth about what we, as soldiers, are supposed to do."_

"_I did? Well, um, I always say that!"_

"_I know and I had actually been timing you, right on cue."  
_

"_Is there anything in this universe you don't have timed?"_

"_Yeah, actually."_

"_What?"_

"_When are you going to put on your playboy act and try and woe the captain for example."_

"_DAH! WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!"_

"_Nothing, now let's find the kid! Hey Mir, you alright?"_

"_Yeah, I think so… So is that what you meant by fear?"  
_

"_Yeah that is, but don't worry you'll be alright. That _WAS_ just the tip of the iceberg."_

"_Thanks Crim, it was helpful advice you gave me."_

"_That's the added job of the veteran, to share our knowledge. Now let's go find Kira, I know who he is with, but I don't feel like explaining to their parents why she is a mother and he's a father."_

"_YOU MEAN IT IS!"_

"_We'll talk it aboard ship, but like I say, those two are made for each other."_

The group of mobile suits and mobile armor started towards the hanger where the Strike, quite literally, looked to be sleepy soundly. From the scans showing the interior of the mobile suit, it could be seen that the young girl was sleeping, almost curled up like a ball against Kira. Deciding against just waking them and having Kira move the mobile suit, Crim coordinated with the Mistao, Liam, and Lowe to simply move the mobile suit to the _Archangel's_ hanger. As the Strike was being move, Crim got a shock of his life.

* * *

Ens. Badgiruel and Volunteer Koenig had accompanied the little band of mobile suits and mobile armor, with Tolle talking everyone's ear off about how he and the good ensign had bagged a CQUE single-handedly. As the mobile suit was being retrieve, they were detailed to ensure the back of the Strike didn't hit anything. So the two were sitting there when the Strike's back came into view. They both couldn't believe what they saw. The back of the Strike was slagged with melted metal!

"_Commander Eagleton! The back of the Strike! Its…" _she was at a loss for words.

"_What about…" _he got a view of the Strike's back.

* * *

"What in the world happened!" yelled Chief Murdoch.

The Strike was standing in the number one slot for the mobile suits maintence racks. The whole back was slagged and melted metal. The vernier engines looked like someone had taken a sledgehammer to them. The Aile Striker Pack engines had not only melted and slagged, but also warped in every direction. The Striker Pack was actually almost welded to the back of the Strike and in places was!

"Um Lowe?"

"Yeah Crim?"

"How much do you think that's going to cost to fix?"

"About half the Professor's poker debt to you?"

"Good, because I don't think we have that kind of money on us," Crim could only stare speechless.

"I'll get the others and get to work then," and Lowe turned to his two friends and co-workers.

"Let me guess, this will halve the Professor's debt if she's lucky, a quarter at the most?" asked Liam.

"Yep, so let's get to work, we're going to be with them for a while," with that said, they went to talk to the Professor, while Crim told Chief Murdoch to wait for help from the Guild and told him and the officers no one was better at keeping secrets then Lowe Gear.

* * *

Inside the mobile suit, the young girl woke up for a moment and saw the young man sleeping. Kira had worn himself out, what he did may have been short, but the level of stress alone would exhaust anyone immediately. She smiled and moved in close, Kira awoke as she was doing so. She placed her lips on his, surprising him, but he didn't back out, but returned the soft kiss. The two broke it and Kira did the first thing to come to mind.

"I'm Kira Yamato."

"-Giggle- I'm Lacus Clyne," then having her name, Kira kissed her again, but it lasted only a few seconds before sleep reclaimed them both.

* * *

Two minutes later, the hatch opened and Crim and Lowe gently removed the two and took them to rest in some proper beds. The whole time, in Crim's room, Flay Allster had snuck in to find some way to get back at Crim. She couldn't find anything, but then found a journal, the steel lock sealed tight by intense heat, a bullet lodged in it, and a dark color that could only be blood. She looked at the name of the owner; the cover wasn't faded, but covered in dry mud and dirt. The name said:

_Career Master Sergeant Thomas P. O'Ryan_

_Dog Company, 6598th Combat Infantry Battalion_

_Atlantic Federal Army_

Flay was understandably confused. Why would a ZAFT soldier have the personal journal of an Atlantic Federation soldier? Then something came to her, the journal said Atlantic Federal Army. The Atlantic Federal Army had been disbanded just after the Alaska Declaration. The Atlantic Federation still had its own military, but they were now a part of the Alliance. Then Flay remembered seeing an old dress uniform that was not a ZAFT red, white, violet, or black that would be expected of ZAFT soldiers. The green hue was also wrong. It was olive drab, the old Atlantic Federal Armed Services colored uniform. Deciding that was enough and not wanting to be never found, Flay put the journal back and fled the room. Crim returned and just picked up the journal. He actually suspected something when he smelled perfume in the air, but decided not to investigate.

* * *

HEY THERE FOLKS! I thought I might just change things up a bit. Now we have learned the horrid truth of Crim and Yzak's sadness with Junius Seven, especially Crim's sadness. To think he used to command the troops there and lived there with his wife and son, as well as his son-in-law, daughter, and grandson, but we find that little Yzak survived and that he has silver hair with red eyes and has taken a fancy to the Captain. No surprise, she has red eyes too! Yet the biggest shocker must be Lenore Zala! Athrun's mother is still alive! Wait, there's more!

Now we have one of Crim's enemies on the run back to the PLANTS due to severe damage taken from a failed ambush! We also see Mirillia Haw in her first battle and the previous training (which will be mentioned in a later flashback) had paid off. She's an ace in her first sortie! We also see Natarle Badgiruel and Tolle Koenig also get a kill in! Tolle's first official combat kill, now he needs four more for the coveted title of Ace!

We also see what the Blight Team is like. We all know and love Lacus, but I decided she needed to be in a little more danger. Also, this rescue will have fundamental impact on Kira's psyche. Especially later, and yes, I will make sure to find a way to make Flay in the seductress manipulator she was in the series. Also Sai and Kira won't be having such a bad fight later; I will give that little secret now!

Also, this is to Solid Shark! Thanks for your assistance in writing this chapter. I know it isn't much, but I drew on some of the things you wrote for inspiration and on what you said. There is a great mystery behind all this. In the shadows, the real war is fought. Both the shadows of the battleground and the shadows of the mind. I also decided to follow the path of going a little bit different down the road, much like you have. Thank You once again me amigo.


	8. Songstress of the Enemy Forces

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

**_"The Endymion Ghosts"_**

**_Chapter Seven: "Songstress of the Enemy Forces"_**

* * *

**_AFS Archangel_ on route to Ptolemaeus Lunar Base**

As the _Archangel_ sailed quietly through the vastness of space, its companion, the Junk Guild ship _H.O.M.E._ sailed alongside. In the mobile suit hanger, Lowe Gear and Chief Mechanic Kojiro Murdoch and his mechanics worked on the damaged GAT-X105 Strike. The mobile suit was off line and so the Phase Shift Armor was off and the coloring had reverted back to its normal grey coloring of the metal armor itself. The mechanics were attempting to repair the damage done not by enemy fire, but by the pilot himself. Kira Yamato, a blue uniform volunteer, had stressed and overheated the engines. The results were that not only did the back of the mobile suit need work, but also some major components from _with-in_ the mobile suit needed replacing. Then there was the melted, slagged, and warped Aile Striker Pack that needed work. Everyone agreed to crack the kid over the head with a wench when they next saw him, but that was cooled because the damage taken had been to save a young girl's life. Which speaking of the two kids, Kira was getting…

"KIRA YAMATO! You nearly destroyed the Strike! What do you have to say for yourself?" Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James yelled her brown eyes felled with disbelief and her short brown hair floating just a little in the 0-gee.

"A life was at stake! Do you think I wouldn't have tried anything!" yelled the brown haired violet eyed young male First Generation Coordinator.

"Calm down the both of you!" Crim Eagleton had had it with their two hour long shouting match.

"I agree, what's done is done, but a life was indeed saved and not just any life, the daughter of Sigel Clyne, Chairman of the Supreme Council of the PLANTS," Captain (Acting) Murrue Ramius said.

"I agree, with her on board…" Ensign Natarle Badgiruel was interrupted.

"We will not be using her as a hostage," Captain Ramius was dead serious.

"Then we let her die with us Captain," Crim spoke up, horrifying even his three closes companions aboard the ship.

"Its actually quite simple when you look at it. If ZAFT troops do attack, they put her in harms way, in fact we've already seen that some ZAFT units have absolutely no responsibility to preserving life. That life pod had PLANTS written all over it. Yet, we saw it destroyed without a second look. This will help clean up the ranks a little by showing which ZAFT soldier is a real ZAFT soldier and not a trained vigilante who wants to avenge Junius Seven."

"That is true, plus she is Athrun Zala's fiancée, so not even Patrick Zala would make a move," Lina Joule said figuring out a hidden goal of Crim's.

"I get it, you want to make Defense Chairman Zala squirm since he won't let us sail by," Sakura Ryosouke said.

"That and I know Lewis Halberton, a good man and high level strategist. Knowing him, he knows that the _Archangel_ is hurt and on the run from ZAFT. I expect he will meet us half way and re-supply the ship for a re-entry for Joshua," Crim said.

"Meet us half way?" asked a clearly confused Ens. Badgiruel.

"Yes, why waste time and resources by having us go all the way to Ptolemaeus. When he could simply re-supply us and send us on our way to Joshua. Don't tell me you only thought the _Archangel_ was good for space combat?" he didn't like the looks the female officers were giving him.

"The _Archangel_ is designed to act as an aerial and a submersible assault carrier. Why else would it have been equipped with re-entry equipment and… well not that it matters. That equipment was destroyed or we have to few personnel to do anything except act like a wet orair ship," Lina Joule looked sadly around, she had been one of the biggest members of the design staff, now to see her baby wounded and undermanned was disheartening.

"Well we need to debrief the Pink Princess, so let's do that instead," Crim said and left the bridge, followed by the rest of the officers and the Lunar Cherry Blossom.

Kira, Volunteer Tolle Koenig, Volunteer Sai Argyle, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jackie Tonomaru, and PO2 Dalida Lolaha Chandra II all left the bridge a few moments later. Chief Petty Officer Arnold Neumann shakes his head and turns to the remaining two on the bridge, Crewman 2nd Class Flay Allster and PO2 Romero Pal. The two look back at him with a look that says, 'Ensign Badgiruel is going to cook their gooses.' The three share a quiet laugh about it. Then PO2 Pal says it.

"Do you think we're meet the Eighth Fleet before Lunar HQ?"

"Crim seems to think so, but I wonder, just who he is and why he has a Federal Forces uniform in his closet?" then C2 Allster covers her mouth, not meaning to say that aloud.

"You were in his room. Man you must be mad…. Wait, a Federal Forces uniform, you mean an Atlantic Federation Federal Forces uniform, before the State and Federal troops were consolidated into a single military force and then made part of the Alliance?" PO2 Pal was surprised; CPO Neumann was intrigued.

"What color was it?" he inquired.

"A dark green, very dark, I also found a journal belonging to a guy, a Career Master Sergeant of a combat infantry battalion of Federal Army," C2 Allster responded.

"What unit?" asked PO2 Pal.

"I think 608… I can't remember, but it was someone named O'Brien or was O'Hare, no O'Ryan! Yeah O'Ryan!" she said excitedly.

"That isn't much, but now we have something that links what he said earlier after Heliopolis. We had thought he was delusional, but now I believe he was recalling a past event that was horror itself. Several Federal Army units had rebelled against the formation of the Alliance, word had it that one unit had been destroyed, because there was no one in that wanted to be part of the Alliance, but that was before the rebellion they say. Only a few know the whole story, but I do recall one of the names was a Sergeant O'Ryan, but whether or not they're the same, only Commander Eagleton can tell us that," CPO Neumann didn't like where this was going.

"Now armed with that bit of information and the deafening silence, we forget about it until we have more evidence to support any theory," PO2 Pal was understandably nervous.

"Agreed, so no more raids into his quarters Crewman Allster, or I'll have to put you on report," CPO Neumann said warningly; she nodded.

* * *

**Grave of Lenora Zala, Junius Seven Memorial, Junius Six, PLANTS**

Athrun Zala stood at the headstone that marked where his mother had died. He longed to believe otherwise. He always had the feeling that she had not died and that this was really not his war. He couldn't figure it out for the life of him. He decided to place the bouquet of white flowers that he had bought. He knew he had to be back soon. The _Vesalius_ was going off to search for Lacus Clyne, his fiancée. He wondered, as most soldiers do, if he was really doing the right thing. He then left meeting up with other ZAFT soldiers heading back to their bases or ships to search for Lacus Clyne, the Pink Princess.

* * *

**Starboard Dormitory for Pilots, _AFS_ _Archangel_**

Inside a room meant to house pilots for the mobile complement, Lacus Clyne looked at the gathered officers, most of whom were female with two males, one blonde with blue eyes and the other with jet black hair and mountain green eyes. There were also two people she knew, but were wearing Alliance Volunteer blue and hot pink.

"Well, we already know your name and about your father. We also have a good guess as to why you were in the Debris Belt, but as to why you were in a life pod, we do not know," the Captain spoke.

"Junius Seven was why, eh, my princess," Crim spoke; Lacus giggled, he always called her 'my princess' to go along with her title.

"Yes, I was asked to be a Representative for the memorial delegation. I had heard that they originally wanted you Commander Eagleton for the loss of your daughter and grandson, but as I was one of the few you talked with, I know it was more," Lacus responded.

"Yes, as you know my wife and son were also lost and I commanded the forces stationed there, but my grandson has survived. We just found survivors before you Lacus, including my grandson and Athrun's mother, Lenora," Crim said and the look on Lacus' face as she heard that there had been survivors found including Athrun's mother and Crim's grandson, was that of pure relief and joy.

"I'm certain the Joule family will be excited to hear that Little Yzak has survived and I know that Athrun will be beside himself with happiness. He had spent a couple of nights at my family's mansion and we heard him cry in his sleep for his mother. Do you think I can see her?" Lacus had a look of hope on her face.

"I was actually hoping to have a little celebration if the Captain would permit for the survivors. I know it will do a world of good if you were to sing for them Lacus," Crim's idea had merit and the look on a few of the officers had already made for supporting the idea.

It was then that Ens. Badgiruel moved towards the door and opened. Four young men nearly fell into the room. They shot to attention, a bit flustered at having been caught. Ens. Badgiruel ordered them to go and get back to their tasks. Lacus spotted Kira and waved and he returned it, but was about to leave when he saw Ens. Badgiruel looking at him from the corner of her eye, but Crim called for him, he entered the room.

"Captain I propose we assign Volunteers Yamato, Haw, and Koenig as Ms. Clyne's guards during the duration of her stay. I would also like to inform you I will be moving Mrs. Zala in with Ms. Lina Joule, Commander Sakura Ryosouke, and myself, Commander Crim Eagleton for the duration of her stay," Crim left no room for argument and Captain Ramius also agreed completely, to be on the safe side.

"Very well, and bring plans for your party to my office later, but we must…" the captain stopped and looked at the pink ball in that was now in her lap.

"Stupid little, I'm going to break Athrun's hands if he keeps making these annoying things. Haro, return to Lacus," Crim growled out while Lacus pouted.

"I happened to like them, especially Mr. Pink," the ball returned to Lacus' hands.

"Allow me to introduce Mister Pink Haro, only one of the most annoying, I mean, lovable little AI mechanical balls in the universe. He is only one of many that the talented Athrun Zala has created, which is why I said I was posting a three-person guard. Mister Pink comes fully equipped to get Lacus out any prison cell, locked room, etc. while also boasting an internal tracking computer… Basically put, a jail breaker's best friend, because he has everything one needs for escapes," Crim wasn't too please with the little ball for very good reasons.

"I see, well that can't be helped then, Volunteer Yamato, once we are finished talking, please escort Ms. Clyne to the Mess Hall, until then find Volunteers Haw and Koenig and inform them of their new added duties, dismissed," Kira left with just a nod after the Captain had finished speaking.

"Now as to why you were in that pod?" Lieutenant Mu La Flaga asked, at which time Sakura spoke up.

"We know someone used the _Silverwind's_ hull for target practice, Ms. Clyne. So tell us what happened?"

"I do not know why, but we had encountered an Earth Forces vessel, the _AFS Solomon_, the soldiers from the ship seemed to be looking for something and asked us to allow them to board, so since I had seen nothing wrong I had permitted it. They then made inquiries as to why we were here and when we told them, they seemed to get upset. Then there…" Crim held up his hand to stop her.

"I now know that it was your ship. A red mobile suit came to your aid correct?" he asked.

"Yes! How did you know?" she was curious, as was everyone else in the room.

"I talked to Lowe, he was the pilot of the Red Frame. It was, up until the Le Creuset Team destroyed Heliopolis, an Orb Military Mobile Suit, now it's the pride and joy of Lowe Gear, Ace Junk Guild Mechanic," he said.

"I see… I had heard on the _Silverwind_ that Heliopolis had been destroyed, but we had no idea that ZAFT had been involved, that might explain why…" Crim interrupted.

"I've actually been hunting the _AFS_ _Solomon_. A crew entirely loyal to Blue Cosmos operates that ship. I found an information broker, a rather shady character, I can only guess he had a hand behind the destruction of the _Silverwind_, because he does more than just information brokering," Crim was in deep thought, his news not sitting well with any of the present.

"I shall inform Admiral Halberton at once about the _Solomon_ when we arrive at Lunar HQ," Captain Ramius was one of the many who would throw out the Blue Cosmos members of the Alliance faster than lightening.

"You mean when we see him, because I'll bet the price tag of a PLANT that he is already sailing to meet us, but I doubt the _Solomon_ will live long. I personally intend to sink that ship, it blocked me from stopping the…" Crim stopped and shook his head and at that moment the door opened to reveal the three volunteers.

"Ah, good you have arrived and I'm certain we're done, we have all the answers we need. Volunteers, please pass word we will be having a celebration to celebrate the discovery of the survivors of Junius Seven," Ensign Loretta Red-Rains said hurriedly to help changed the mood, no one tried to stop her and the four youngsters left in high spirits.

"Crim, there is more about Junius Seven, isn't there?" asked Captain Ramius.

"That trust has yet to be gained, so just be patient, I'll tell you when," Crim left and the others sharing some looks, left as well.

Crim walked towards the hanger, thinking. The captain was wrong, it wasn't J7 that was bothering him, it was… He shook his head again. He hated being the only man left from his very first command. He would often hear tales of how the great hero would go out for revenge with no thought of surviving, just as long as they took the bad guy or the evil organization with them. He on the other hand had no thought of calling it quits until he was old and grey and even then the Pale Rider would find he would put up quite a fight before he died, not quitting one step of the way.

* * *

As Crim stepped into the hanger, his mind had already shifted from the past to the future. He knew that the mess hall would be too small for the party. On the other hand, the hanger was too big and lacked gravity, but he remembered some of the games the Eagleton Team used to play in 0-gee. He knew that there would be some up skirt peeping, but he knew of a couple techniques to prevent skirts from revealing too much. He had, after all, nothing better to do for periods of time here and there on patrol. Plus he had a few female red coats in his old ranks. To get a female red coat, your unit had to be something, to have eleven like his unit had showed a unit of elite status unparalleled in the annals of ZAFT or any military, or so was said, but he and his team was never one of those saying it.

"Unfounded arrogance leads to an early demise," Crim said as he sensed several people behind him.

"Wow! You actually noticed us," Tolle was impressed.

"One of my many skills. Believe it or not, long before I joined ZAFT I had been fighting Blue Cosmos and the OMNI Enforcer. It has been too long for my tastes, but I will not stop until the PLANTS are safe and freedom is guaranteed everywhere Tolle. I swore on too many headstones, too many unmarked graves, too many fallen friends and allies," Crim shook his head to clear his thoughts again and then turned to Lacus.

"Big enough space?" he jerked his thumb over his shoulder.

"Hmm… Why not somewhere with gravity?" she asked, but he knew that she knew what he meant.

"Not enough room," he stated plainly, reaching into pocket for something, before quickly withdrawing it.

"I thought you didn't smoke?" she said with a pouty face, he smiled.

"Old habit from my childhood. I used to keep gum in my pockets, but not anymore," he said.

"_ALL OFFICERS, BOTH REGULAR AND VOLUNTEER TO THE BRIDGE! REPEAT ALL OFFICERS, BOTH REGULAR AND VOLUNTEER TO THE BRIDGE!"_

"Playing my number, I'll tell the Captain and don't worry I have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to having a lot of time, a team that is nearly fifty percent female, and a lot of parties, who doesn't have a few tricks."

* * *

**The Bridge of the _Archangel_**

"You know, I had to cancel a dinner date with my main man and his girl to come up here."

The bridge crew and the assembled officers look at Crim as he enters last.

"I told Kira that he and Lacus can't be together without an adult around to prevent them from skipping dinner and going right to bed," he had a grin on his face.

"If you are trying to raise morale, don't stop your piloting, but I don't think you need to worry long," Ens. Badgiruel had a slight smile on her face.

"What's the good news then? Not like the radicals have blown each other up on both sides of the line and left the rest of humanity alone to have peace," he stated stopping next to the group.

"We received a transmission from the _Montgomery_ Advance Force," Captain Ramius smiled a relieved smile.

"Don't relax yet," Crim, said, suddenly serious.

All looked at him, they at least thought he would relax a little… more, but he was appeared to be deadly serious. Something was wrong that they forgot to take account for.

"Something wrong Commander Eagleton?" Ens. Badgiruel asked.

"Have you forgotten that the _Montgomery_ may be making a rendezvous with us, but it could be sunk between now and then or worse just before we link up," he was, indeed, deadly serious, killing the mood.

"Crim! You're no fun! We are…"

"But we're not, are we," Crim interrupted Sakura and pointing out a very important fact.

"Commander Eagleton, I would like to know why you're so upset?" Captain Ramius' tone was harsh.

"Simple, one Lacus Clyne and one David Blight," he responded.

"What about them?" the Captain wasn't following his point.

"Half of ZAFT is going to be in this area looking for her and on the alert for us and any possible force sent to link up with us," he was dead right, that much is basic strategy.

"Yeah, but its…"

"I've seen too many die on 'buts.' Let's not forget that three mobile armor are supposed to be lost for every mobile suit, _**BUT**_ the fourth mobile armor will get that mobile suit," he had killed the mood with reality after interrupting the Hawk of Endymion.

"I see, very well, we shall advance with caution and warn the _Montgomery_ and when we get close, go to yellow alert, but I still intend to hold your party, but I'm afraid…" the Captain trailed off.

"Let them know, but we, the officers and regulars need to keep ourselves on alert, otherwise, we are as good as sunk like _Georgetown_ was at the First Battle of Jachin Due," Crim knew that everyone aboard had heard what happened to the _AFS Georgetown_.

Yet despite all of his attempts, Crim knew that the crew of the Archangel was going to relax and try to breath easier. He also knew that by the time they arrived, there would be high chance that the Advance Force would already be dead to last man. He knew he had his work cut out for him if this ship would be a part of his plans to stop Blue Cosmos and the Zala Faction.

* * *

As he left and headed down back down to get something to eat to calm himself, he heard one thing that had been on his mind, Flay Allster yelling at Lacus Clyne. He was swift and found her alone without her escort. Crewman Second Class Allster was screaming into the face of Lacus Clyne. He knew what he had to do and knew he wouldn't hear the end of it. Yet, as long as he was aboard the Archangel and in charge of the volunteers, a task that had been surprisingly easy for him to get, he was an officer of the ship and as such he went right into officer mode, except he over did it and went back to his officer self from a time long ago.

"Crewman Allster what is the meaning of this!" he roared and she tried to hide herself behind Lacus.

"I gave an order for an explanation or do you want to spend time in the brig?" he was being sarcastic and venomous.

"I… uh… found Ms. Clyne unescorted and looking into there," she pointed.

"The mess hall full of civilians and other personnel?" he said as C2 Allster visibly paled.

"You two," he pointed at two mechanics and they stood at once, "escort the Crewman Allster to the brig, she is under arrest until the Captain has had a chance to review this incident."

The two men saluted and began to take Crewman Allster away. She began to try to get out of it and Lacus also tried to stop it. To her it was unfair and wrong. It was just that she may have caught the redhead at a bad time and voiced it. He countered as to why she was alone.

"I went to lay down for a while and after a bit, Mr. Pink decided he wanted to walk around and I was lonely," she said, but his response was cruel like that of a hard bit officer of a regular army.

"No excuse to leave you alone. I thought I had made it clear to the three that you were to be watched at ALL times for your safety. Also, you shouldn't be wandering around on your own. I will have to take that Haro for the time being until we have had a chance to do something about the doors. Last thing I want is that little thing to depressurize the whole ship," he then extended his arm, picking up the ball, and catching sight of the three guards.

"What in the Sam Hill are you three doing leaving Ms. Clyne without an escort?" he demanded and the three came to a sudden stop.

"She went to lay down and we went to…" Tolle stopped seeing the look in Crim's eyes.

"That is no way to speak to a superior officer, do I make myself clear," Crim knew he did.

"YES SIR!" the three were nervous as all get out.

"For this breach of orders, consider yourselves on probation and on full guard duty. When Ms. Clyne leaves her quarters you will be beside her. When she goes to the head, you two will stand guard outside and you will be just outside the door. When she goes to bed, you will stand watch in shifts. You are to stay near her at all times, unless there is a battle or you are instructed otherwise! Do I make myself clear! DO I!" he shouted into their faces.

"SIR YES SIR!" the three were panicky.

"Dismissed and escort Ms. Clyne back to her quarters for the time being, I must consult the Captain and other officers," he turned and left, forgetting about his empty stomach.

* * *

**On the Bridge of the _Vesalius_**

"Enemy ships?" inquired Rau Le Creuset.

"Just three and they appear to have not noticed us either," Captain Ades said off handedly.

"Still why would three Earth Forces ships… I see, they're here for that," Commander Le Creuset said as he began to smile.

"What are they here for sir?" the ship captain asked his superior.

"They're here for the 'Legged-Ship,'" Le Creuset's voice sounded like he was cooing.

"Then what shall we do? We are committed to the search…"

"No, we will take all nearby teams and move for an intercept. We mustn't let them re-enforce the 'Legged-Ship.' This may help get Councilman Zala out of some hot water. We need to capture that ship or sink it at the very least, but above all capturing the Strike pilot and the two traitors," the superior interrupted his subordinate.

"But sir!"

"Relax, we will go back to searching for Ms. Clyne afterwards. I would hate to be laughed at by future historians for missing this chance. After all this is more important than to look for one girl," Le Creuset elicited a lot of hateful looks from his bridge crew that he noticed and didn't care about.

"Very well change course to intercept and prepare for battle!" Ades didn't like it, but he had his job to do.

* * *

**On the Bridge of the _Archangel_**

Crim was listening to Ensign Badgiruel chew him out for over stepping his bounds of authority. He wasn't actually listening, but was still planning in his head the party among other things, including how to find the best way to shut her up for good without killing her or making her unfit for duty. He not only outranked her in ZAFT, but… He gave a very violent shake of the head and smacked his forehead with his fist. To say that stunned the officers and anyone else was an understatement.

"Ouch," was all he said.

"Commander Eagleton, why did you just… um…" Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James was at a lost of words.

"Sorry, a bad memory came back from the last person to talk to me like that and why. To put it simply, when we came to blows, he not lost favor with his troops, but with even Patrick Zala. The man was just mad; he wanted to rack up kills no matter what happened to his own men and women. They guy even kept a few female Naturals as slaves, until I found out and stuck a sword into him. Fool forgot I was better at CQC," Crim brushed it off.

Now Captain Ramius or any other officer knew that CQC stood for Close Quarters Combat, but something else bothered her. He brushed it off like a man from her past and yet again, he reminded her of him.

Ensign Justin Glick also noticed the brushing off, but knew from the way that it was similar to annoyed infantryman. He remembered his sergeant doing the same; as did all the other battle harden officers and Non-Commissioned Officers as well as the Enlisted Men. Also, the way he did it reminded Ensign Glick of an officer he met a long time back. He had been young for his rank, but he was an exceptional officer. No one doubted his capabilities because his father was an officer. His name had been Lewis Halberton the Second, a Major in the Atlantic Federal Army and the son of the commander of the old Atlantic Federal Space Forces' 4th Fleet. Something about 'Louie' as he was known and Crim Eagleton just screamed the same, but what, Eagleton had to be at least three years older and married not to mention a Coordinator.

The man in questioned sneezed suddenly and he grumbled about making Crewman Allster do the toilets and the dishes and the floors just to shut her up or make her complain about something else. He thought she was a little too much like her father and cursed the man silently.

* * *

**Brig, _Archangel_**

As Crewman 2nd Class Flay Allster sat on the hard bench, she was cursing out Crim with a very colorful array of words and phrases. She didn't know that he knew that was what she was doing. She continued on before she sneezed putting a stop to her complaining.

* * *

**Bridge of the _Montgomery_**

Vice Foreign Minister George Allster sneezed real hard that it launched him out of his seat. Just moments away from making contact with the _Archangel_ and he sneezes so hard to launch him out of his seat. The bridge crew got a good laugh out it and so did Captain Koopman. An aide that had been reading the names of military personnel aboard the _Archangel_ shook his head and his eyes widened when he saw one name on the list when he looked back to it.

"Crewman Second Class Flay Allster, _AFS Archangel_," the man said, edging away from the politician.

The inevitable happened when the aide had put some distance between him and the Vice Foreign Minister. Captain Koopman and the rest of the crew were the same, putting distance between the surprised and shocked politician and themselves.

"GET. ME. THE. _ARCHANGEL_. NOW!" he said through clenched teeth, as he was not about to let his daughter be involved in the war.

* * *

A little more mystery to whet your appetites ladies and gentlemen. Also, what happened to the _AFS Georgetown_ at the First Battle of Jachin Due? Why is the Crimson Eagle fixated on sinking the _Solomon_? What other tragedy before Eagleton before Junius Seven? And how long has he been fighting against Blue Cosmos and the Alliance? These questions and many more will be answered as the story progresses. So stick around and you will find out.

Also, will Crim's worries come true? Will ZAFT find and sink the Advance Force? We all know the answer, but will the crew still trust a man that keeps secrets from even his own allies? Will Flay hate the man even more? What about the suspicious Captain and pilot? Geez, I've got a lot of mystery that I could rewrite the book on paranoia for the Soviets, but wait! They're gone! Oh happy days!

* * *

_**Next Chapter: "The Fading Light"**_

_**Never Give Up and Fire Gundam!**_


	9. The Fading Light

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

_**"The Endymion Ghosts"**_

_**Phase Seven: "Fading Light"**_

* * *

**_AFS Archangel_ on route to rendezvous with the _Montgomery_ Advance Force**

**February 2nd, Year 71 of the Cosmic Era**

**Bridge**

Captain (Acting) Murrue Ramius was waiting patiently for a communication contact could be established with the _AFS Montgomery_. She and her bridge crew were getting antsy in the trousers, or in the skirts for the female crewmembers, waiting. They couldn't wait to link up. Once done, not even ZAFT would be stupid enough to launch an attack. Well, in theory at least.

* * *

While down in the ship's briefing room, Crim Eagleton and Ensign Natarle Badgiruel were going over final plans with the pilots of the _AFS Archangel_. It had been quite the chore to convince Ensign Badgiruel of the need to be ready just in case. He had to remind her of their last two optimistically views and how each had gone south. He even sprung the surprise that Princess Cagalli Yula Athha, daughter of Lord Uzumi Nara Athha of Orb, had found out and done a personal inspection of the G-Weapons in Heliopolis, though it was completed under fire. She readily agreed to help him plan a strategy.

"Listen up and listen good! From what I gathered from ZAFT Intel and Ensign Badgiruel's input…" Crim eyed everyone like his nickname namesake "… Captain Koopman will most likely order us to withdraw if we fall under attack. We will not retreat, we will attack instead."

"This plan is rather simple and straight forward," Ensign Badgiruel took over, "Lieutenant La Flaga and Ensign Glick will launch, collect and rally the Advance Force's mobile armor, and launch an attack on the enemy support ships."

"At the same time we, the mobile suit pilots, are to tie up and eliminate any and all enemy mobile suits while protecting the Advance Force. It has been figured that the Advance Force's ships have a small margin of survival and we must ensure that the crews have a chance to escape." (Crim)

"Furthermore, the enemy mobile suits may include G-Weapons, ignore them and deal with the GINNS and CQUES first. Also, on that note, permission has been granted for disabling attacks, but not at the cost of friendlies, understood?" (Ens. Badgiruel)

All nodded at this, thankful for some plan of action, especially after their last few encounters. Mirillia Haw was also thankful that they had been given permission to only disable, but not at the cost of any allies. Still, even with that little bit of news, things would be better. Hopefully all would work out as planned, but once more, in theory.

* * *

Back up on the bridge, communications contact had been established with the Advance Force and one mildly amused Alliance officer sat in one chair and one annoyed Vice Foreign Minister in the other. No one had to guess that was putting it mildly all things considered. Since his only daughter was now an official member of the _Archangel_'s crew. He would now get his answers, but before he could, Captain Koopman began talking about the more vital military matters.

* * *

Back down in the pilot ready room, the pilots were paying cards and growing more nervous by the second. Ens. Badgiruel observed the pilots as they waited. She noticed that Mirillia and Sakura Ryosouke hadn't fully suited up. Their suits were on, but were tied up at the waist. They were clad in white and black trimmed standard issue shirts from the waist up. The male pilots were the same as they waited. Then the door opened suddenly spooking the pilots.

"Huh? LACUS!" Crim was surprised, but he noticed the little pink ball rolling in.

"My apologies, but I was wondering where everyone was?" Lacus Clyne asked.

"We're getting ready to link up with the Advance Force, but we are prepared in case ZAFT attacks. I know what you may be thinking Miss Lacus, because I can see through your naïve act," she didn't look at all surprised, "so I know that you what to know why we two are here and preparing to fight those that had once been allies."

"Yes, I would like to know," she asked, her blue eyes no longer having a look of someone dazed and her face changing demeanor from innocent curiosity to intent curiosity.

"Classified, the fewer that know the better," he responded and she frowned.

"Care to join Pink Princess? We could use a couple more to make this more interesting," Mu La Flaga, Lieutenant (Senior Grade) said.

"No thank you, I do not know how to play," she responded.

"Oh well, that was the same answer the good ensign gave us, but maybe next time," the Hawk of Endymion said with a smile to which she nodded, before sitting next to Kira Yamato.

"Deal me out, I don't feel like losing anymore," and the two teens left for a moment.

"What was that about?" asked Mirillia.

"Remember what we always say, but now I wonder whether you'd get him or she will? Quite the conflicting situation and the kind I hate, but love at the same time, the feeling of the unknown," Crim seemed rather happy when he said that which made people wonder if he had a screw loose or something until his glare told them to stop staring.

* * *

"…_Once the we make rendezvous your ship will fall under the command of this vessel. I also took a look at your volunteers and noted two unusual and rare names listed. I must admit I am curious to know if it is really them? The same for the extra ensign you picked up?"_ Captain Koopman wasn't the only one on the _Montgomery_.

"Yes, aboard the _Archangel_ are the "Four Masters of Luna." The four are currently down in the ready room with our two mobile suit blue and pink volunteers," Captain Ramius said.

"_I see… Why would those two desert? I once met the Crimson Eagle and only something threatening to the PLANTS from with-in would make him desert his post," _Captain Koopman was very visibly distressed about the whole thing.

"Whatever it is, he has managed to forge a small army from with-in ZAFT to fight it and Blue Cosmos and he seems to have been fighting both the Alliance and Blue Cosmos for quite some time now. Whatever it is, we know it's a weapon, because the two deserted with a weapons designer seemingly the three are terrified and it wouldn't matter about detaining them. They after all built the G-Weapons and this ship after receiving political asylum from Orb," Captain Ramius said.

"_Only nukes would put the fear of god into a man like Crim Eagleton… WAIT A MOMENT! The ready room? Dammit! He might know something we don't!" _Captain Koopman was not all that dense as some said and that is how he survived the Eagle on several occasions.

"Yes, we had an encounter with the Blight Team and we also rescued Lacus Clyne, or rather, she was almost killed by the Blight Team and Kira Yamato, the pilot of the X-one-oh-five Strike saved her and nearly tore the mobile suit to pieces in the process," Captain Ramius said.

"_DAMN! Level Two Alert! Condition Yellow! Move it!"_ and in the background, the control chaos could be slightly seen and most definitely heard.

The _Law_ and the _Bernard_, both_ Drake_-Class Frigates, could be seen getting ready for a battle. Now all they had to do was pray they weren't jumped or ambushed. Though now, that was unlikely as the four ships were now on alert. ZAFT would find the going tough, the average commander of ZAFT didn't like drawn out battles, because it wasted time and supplies. The conversation picked back up once the ships were more or less ready. 

"_Ahem, well now that is out of the way, I believe the Vice Foreign Minister would like to say a few things,"_ Captain Koopman began to issue some orders and keep the ships ready for battle.

"_Yes, I would, like for instance, why is my daughter not listed in the volunteers, but the regulars, the ones who wear WHITE uniforms?" _George Allster wanted some answers NOW.

"We found that she has lived in and maintained citizenship for the Atlantic Federation. The only reason she was not drafted earlier was that she was on Heliopolis and was apparently attending a private school or something of that nature," Captain Ramius didn't like having to deal with the Vice Foreign Minister.

"_I noticed that much, but why is she in the military, listed down as needing to attend basic and boot camp?" _(G. Allster)

"She came aboard an Atlantic Federation ship of war and during a period of crisis and crew shortage. We followed procedure and immediately put her to work as the radio operator for the mobile complement. Since the person we had was transferred to the complement to pilot the X-one-oh-eight Woodland Strike. We would have been hurting for someone to fill that position until someone brought up her citizenship status and she openly admitted to having been living in the territory of the Atlantic Federation just prior to the Draft and she was given two choices sir." (Ramius)

"_What two choices?" _(G. Allster)

"Brig time with possible life sentence after we arrived at Lunar Headquarters or she could lose the Draft Dodger status and serve aboard ship." (Ramius)

George Allster's face screwed up in anger and he began talking, rather angrily, with Captain Koopman. Captain Koopman asked a few questions and got the answers and pretty much all was said and done. Flay Allster's impressments into the service, especially in a time of great peril was legal and binding. For when the discussion was finished, it had been established that she was now an emergency sailor of the Atlantic Federation. That is until they reached Lunar Headquarters and then she would be sent to both Basic and Boot and then to a school to finish up her military training.

"_May I at least say hello to my daughter?" _George Allster knew when a fight was lost.

"We're patching her post into the main communications now," Captain Ramius said.

"_Thank you,"_ the Vice Foreign Minister was exhausted after that lost cause of a debate.

"Daddy?" Crewman 2nd Class Flay Allster said, having witnessed her fate being sealed.

"_Hi darling, sorry, nothing I can do… I really hate this war… Who let slip about your past, I don't think it could have been your friends?"_ he was now curious.

"Volunteer Ensign Eagleton, he somehow knew, but once being a ZAFT planner I'm not surprised," she responded.

"_Not too surprising, but I wonder how he was demoted?" _Captain Koopman said.

"That one's easy," she got the two older men's attention, "he got into a fight with a Patrick Zala, I think he's the ZAFT commander."

"_Doesn't sound like a reason to demote someone?" _even George Allster knew that one.

"Well, when it's a physical fight in front of the Supreme Council, maybe he was hoping for him to die," Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James said from behind C2 Flay.

"_That answers a lot,"_ both men said in unison.

"Well, I kinda of tried to get back at him about it… I was in his room and found an Atlantic Federal Army officers uniform and a journal belonging to the… um… oh! The six-five-ninety eight! It belonged to some Career Master Sergeant by the name of… oh what was it?" she couldn't remember.

"O'Ryan is what you said," Chief Petty Officer Arnold Neumann said.

He had hoped she would forget about it or at the least not bring it up for a while, a long while.

"Oh right, Thomas P. O'Ryan of the Sixty-five Ninety-eighth, Dog Company," she finished remembering now the whole thing, "it was covered in old dried blood, but was remarkably well taken care of."

"_The Fighting Strykers!"_ Captain Koopman was pale.

"That unit had Admiral Halberton's cousin in it," Captain Ramius also paled remembering.

"_Yes, and it was one of the first units to rebel against the Alaska Declaration, but was said to have had dozens of survivors from it that went into hiding and then found a way to join ZAFT, but Eagleton?"_ Captain Koopman did not like the implications.

"_For now forget about that Flay… It's too sensitive and dangerous… They say that unit was too loyal to the United Nations and too much against war and I pretty sure I know why,"_ George Allster looked at his daughter straight into the eye and she nodded.

What the father Allster had said made everyone realize what he meant. Junius Seven, Endymion Crater, April Fool's Crisis, Heliopolis, the Mobile Armor fiasco, Nova, Kaoshiung, and dozens of other things andbattles. The unit commander was said to be a peerless warrior with a warrior's senses. It was said that he knew that the Moebius might not win against the GINN without the pilots being properly trained to fight even a general estimate of their abilities.

It was then that the N-Jammer activity started up and jammed their communications and radar. The battle began, but the four ships were ready. Koopman gave the predictable orders, but then Crim Eagleton appeared, having been listening in secretly and said they were going to join. He said he had a really bad feeling about this. That feeling would turn out true.

* * *

Leaving the ready room, Eagleton stopped and looked at Ensign Badgiruel. She looked back and he told her to be ready to pull a dirty trick, but told her how to word it and that it was to be used in the extreme worst case scenario. She nodded and he was off. After all, it was the Le Creuset Team and a couple of other teams they would be engaging.

* * *

**Space around the Advance Force**

The mobile armor took off and began to assemble. They would fight to the bitter end to protect their ships. They had to; they needed to buy time for the Archangel to make its escape. It wasn't a matter if they were going to lose, but how long they could hold out. It was a sad reality that many pilots began to question the war in general.

One of these pilots, Element Leader Lieutenant John Hutchinson, also began to wonder about more than that. He remembered once hearing that Second Generation Coordinators don't receive the same genetic manipulation as their parents did. IF anything the Second Generation Coordinator was about as Coordinator as a Natural. He had to laugh at the irony of it all. War with space monsters that don't even exist, what was up with Joshua?

"_Third Element, fall in and protect the _Law_ from enemy attack," _the orders for his elements deployment came through.

"_Roger, moving to protect the _Law_," _LT Hutchinson replied.

* * *

While deep inside the _Montgomery_, a pilot sat at the controls of his machine angrily tapping his right pointing finger on the control stick. He had to wait for special orders. He did not think that a good idea. Too many people seemed to think that security had to be maintained, except that with four of the eight Heliopolis machines in ZAFT's hands did not constitute a breach of security. Then he got to wondering about a nagging fact that bothered him.

'How did ZAFT know where to look in the first place?'

* * *

**_Vesalius_, hanger**

Yzak Joule, pilot of the GAT-X102 Duel, was actually beginning to echo those _Montgomery_ pilot's thoughts. Something smelled worse than spoiled Rochefort cheese. Yet, he could not place his finger on it. He had to also wonder why so many aces had been detailed to join the search for Lacus Clyne. He knew something was up with that, but he could not place his finger on it either, until the orders came to launch, but heeding advice from the Crimson Eagle, he didn't voice it.

* * *

**_Peace million_, Bridge**

Team commander Jesus Rodriguez was also just as suspicious, but not so quiet. Neither was his team. He decided not to join the battle, but sailed away, intending to pass the Legged-Ship on its way to join the battle while he began to search for Lacus Clyne with his team near the ruins of Junius Seven. He would not waste his time with needless conflict.

* * *

**_Vesalius_, Bridge**

Immediately Commander Rau Le Creuset was informed of the ships breaking away from the formation and setting a course that would have them pass the Legged-Ship. He was also informed that the ships had not entered combat readiness and were most likely withdrawing from the battle. Needless to say, Captain Ades was ordering contact to be established. Communications contact was established and another team lead, Hans Jorgensen, the Ice Wolf of Nova, reported that he would carry out his officially assigned orders and that the other team commanders and their men thought the same. Contact was then cut.

"Let them go Ades, there is nothing we can do. Most were assigned simply to help, but I'm pretty sure that those ships are the _Bernard_, _Law_, and the _Montgomery_, so that means that Captain Koopman would be ordering the _Archangel_ away," Commander Le Creuset said.

"I suppose your right. We still have the four G-Weapons, though I hate being without the _Gamow_. I don't like the fact that Zelman's ship suddenly broke down on the way here," Captain Ades had every right to feel nervous.

* * *

The remaining teams, mostly GINN bearing ships, launched their mobile suits to join the battle. Following the Duel and the other X-numbers, -303 Aegis, -207 Blitz, and –103 Buster, the ZGMF-1017 GINNS and ZGMF-515 CQUES began their attack on the Advance Force. The light show could be seen even down on Earth, if one had a high-powered telescope.

* * *

**Inside the Hanger of the _Montgomery_**

The pilot had had enough and was launching orders or not. The mobile armor that made first contact had vanished under the withering fire of the ZAFT forces. He knew that the mobile armor would be gone with-in minutes, he was needed, his mobile suit was needed to tip the balance and insure a successful mission.

"Grey Thompson, GAT-X210 Shadow, launching with or without orders!" he shouted.

The face of the ship's mobile complement radio operator came up. He was visibly frightened and wanted to argue, but the look in Grey Thompson's eyes stopped him and he nodded, acknowledging the launch. Captain Koopman was in the background wanting to argue too, but with the heavy fighting, he knew it would be better to launch the Shadow.

* * *

As Nicol Amafli and Athrun Zala approached, intending to sink the _Law_ and only have four mobile armor in the way, a shot pierced the forever night of space and destroyed a GINN and a CQUE with a single hit that went through both. That had been an emerald dart, the size of a shot from a 57mm Beam Rifle. They turned to engage what they thought to be one of the Strikes, but instead saw a X-200 series mobile suit that was grayish black compared to the Blitz's all moonless midnight black. It was flying straight at them and as it passed, its beam saber came to life and the frozen shaft of violet flame cut through the remaining three GINNS and last CQUE that had joined them in the attack on the _Law_.

* * *

Grey Thompson felt like he had been shot out a cannon rather than launched into space. The air pressure that had been built up to shoot him towards the enemy rushing the 3rd Element and the _AFS Law_ had given that impression as he was needed there faster than ASAP. On the way after being launched, he had holed two mobile suits with one shot and when he passed them; he had diced up four more, missing the two G-Weapons, which had pulled back.

* * *

At that moment, the Duel came in looking to destroy the Shadow and with it were two GINNS. Then a bright flash of light, followed by an emerald stream and the two GINNS were no more and Yzak looked to where the fire had come from and saw the Legged-Ship and the GAT-X108 Woodland Strike. Then he noticed Athrun engaged with the GAT-X105 Strike and two mobile armor, the two Zeroes rally the other mobile armor. Then appearing in front of him was the GAT-X106 Highland Strike. The two stared at one another and then spoke.

"Hello father," Yzak was polite, but was somewhat devoid of emotion.

"_Good to see you safe son… Yzak, I… I'm sorry for my betrayal, but in the end you will learn the truth. As Sherman once said, 'War is Hell,'"_ Crim sounded older than he really was.

"Blight returned to the PLANTS a couple of days ago… Nice work, everyone was impressed," Yzak was happy just having this short discussion.

"_Yzak, we found survivors while we were at Junius Seven… We found Lenore Zala and Little Yzak among them,"_ Crim waited.

"WHAT! My son lives? Athrun's mother lives? Oh thank the stars!" Yzak knew he would not have much time to enjoy himself with the news.

"_I thought you and Athrun were always at each other's throats?"_ Crim said an amused sound mingled with his voice.

"WHAT WAS THAT? Are you trying to say that I purposely what to rip out that moron's guts?" Yzak thought for a moment and then, "Okay I do, but _I_ didn't start this little feud!"

"_Glad some thing don't change,"_ Crim rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"What's wrong father?" Yzak was worried.

"_How's Shiho, I heard she got banged up pretty bad at Artemis?"_

"She's fine and is part of a new R and D development team. They hope to upgrade the CQUE so that all pilots can fly it and give it new weaponry," Yzak answered.

"_Good to hear, but Yzak, remember to keep your mouth shut about Little Yzak and Lenore. I intend to smuggle them and the other survivors to Orb where they will be safe for an official announcement of their survival of that damn nuke. Also, I'm in a bad mood, we had to go back to violet beam sabers and emerald beam rifles. We had managed to customize our weapons to make them stand out and they nearly wore out our suits and weapon chambers. How annoying!"_ Crim was visibly annoyed, though Yzak knew that was an understatement.

"Ouch! Bet that was annoying, stupid Natural…"

"_YZAK! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT BLIND HATE AND BIGOTRY?"_

"Sorry father! Um, we fight now?"

"_Unfortunately, yes, I hate this!"_

No more words as sabers clashed together. Like with the Strike and Aegis, save for that there were no more exchanging of words, the Duel and Highland collided in battle and fought each other to a stand still, but unlike the Strike and Aegis, it was not because of past acquaintance, it was because they were equally skilled fighters that knew one another well.

* * *

**Elsewhere**

Hutchinson's 3rd Element had avoided taking any hits, but had managed to score a couple of kills to which they added a fourth kill too. With them was the Shadow and the five fought hard, holding their part of the line, but then the _Bernard_ went up. A GINN had slipped by and gotten the anti-aircraft batteries and the Buster had put all its missiles right into the opening. Luckily, right there was GAT-X107 Field Strike and the majority of the _Bernard_'s crew managed to escape and were now entering the atmosphere on courses that would land them in Orb waters and on Orb soil, but at least it wasn't ZAFT territory.

* * *

Despite the attempt to rally all the mobile armor, the two Zeroes were only able to rally a hand full, but that hand full had sunk several ZAFT ships and scored thirteen mobile suit kills. Then dealing with a GINN, LT Mu La Flaga took a severe blow to his orange TAS-02mod.00 Moebius Zero mobile armor and was forced to retreat. Still he had managed to claim one more kill and that had been the offender.

* * *

Ensign Glick tried to coordinate the remaining mobile armor, but the enemy numbers were just too great. Three units were blasted by the Blitz one, two, three and they were gone. Then the Buster combined its weapons and fired a volley of shot into a formation of mobile armor, only three got out and one was downed by a bazooka toting GINN as a CQUE sliced another in two, but was in turned destroyed by the third mobile armor, but it barely avoided a GINN, but the new G-Weapon holed that one with an emerald dart. Then he heard that the _Law_ had finally been sunk with a direct hit from the Aegis. Then he and the others got the call to protect the lifeboats and pods.

* * *

Athrun had been fighting with Kira, when the _Law_ had fired into his direction and he had switched modes and sent a chaotic colored stream of energy at her from the Aegis' Scylla Multi-Phase cannon. It had been a direct hit and some of the GINNS and CQUES were looking for the lifeboats and pods since only one shuttle had escaped and was now on a course also for Orb. Yet the Shadow, 3rd Element, the Field Strike, and the returning mobile armor had a different plan in mind than the slaughter of defenseless survivors.

* * *

**Bridge of the _Archangel_**

Captain Ramius had the positron cannons fired as an opening salvo against the ZAFT ships. Two ships had been hit, one had suffered a glancing blow, but the other had been a direct hit. Both ships had been lost, even though one had been a glancing blow, no one wanted that from a even a beam cannon. Then the _Archangel_ fired its Gottfrieds and Valiants and four more ships were out of action including the _Vesalius_, but the _Vesalius_ managed to get one last shot off.

Everyone on the bridge watched in horror, C2 Allster especially. The shot had gouged a hole in the side of the _Montgomery_ and the ship began to list terribly. The bridge crew watched as only a few pods and boats managed to leave the ship as it exploded. Crewman Allster began to convulse and to hyperventilate. She couldn't believe it. Her father was dead!

Volunteer Sai Argyle had already grabbed her and was taking her off the bridge as Ensign Loretta Red-Rains, her dark blue eyes holding worry as her red hair was matted to her head by sweat, and Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James both took over the positions of the two crewmembers. Ensign Natarle Badgiruel knew it was time; too many lives depended on this.

Moving up to Kuzzey Buskirk's post as he held his head, gripped with fear. She took over and opened up an open communications frequency.

* * *

**_Montgomery_, twenty seconds before the hit**

"Move it! Hurry we need to launch soon!" the pilot yelled.

His lifeboat was then loaded and he was gone with the members of the crew that had gotten aboard. He cleared the ship and saw the light hit the ship.

* * *

George Allster and those of his staff that had accompanied him were boarding their lifeboat when the ship began to shake violently and then they all saw a light tear through the armor hide of the ship. They were dead before they even had time to contemplate what was happening.

* * *

Captain Koopman ordered one last volley of fire. It was delivered and then the bridge of the _Montgomery_ was engulfed in flames that came from beneath the bridge. The volley claimed several GINNS and CQUES and one missile found its way to the hurt _Vesalius_, killing a dozen of her crew and leaving a huge hole and gash from where it came in like an arrow with an explosive head.

* * *

**_ZMS Peacemillion_**

As the _Nazca_-Class ship and her cohorts continued to plow through space searching for Miss Lacus Clyne, they heard the broadcast from the _Archangel_.

"_This is the Atlantic Federation Ship,_ Archangel _to the Le Creuset Team. We have aboard ship civilian refugees from Heliopolis and the daughter of Sigel Clyne, Lacus Clyne."_

"Helmsman, bring us about and set course for the battle that we left!" Captain Mark Anthony yelled.

"_If you persist in your attack on this ship and any surviving allies of this ship, we will grant Miss Clyne political refugee status and transfer her with the other refugees to another vessel to be taken to Orb. That is of course if you don't sink this ship first. Continue your attack if you wish to express treason against your own state."_

"Le Creuset! That fool!" Commander Rodriguez yelled.

* * *

**GAT-X303 Aegis**

Athrun had heard what had been said. To think they had her. Now he was furious. They were obviously using her as a shield to hide behind. He would… Athrun felt someone grab his mobile suit and begin to drag it back to the _Vesalius_. He saw that it was Yzak's Duel.

"_Athrun you idiot! We have to withdraw now!"

* * *

_

**GAT-X102 Duel**

Yzak Joule DID NOT run from, walk away, or flee from any fight or challenge. He hated to have to withdraw and then he noticed the Aegis just floating there and knew he had to rescue Athrun Zala. He jetted over and grabbed the Aegis and began to take it back to the ship. He opened up a laser induction signal and yelled the first thing that came to mind.

"Athrun you idiot! We have to withdraw now!"

"_Shut up! Yzak that's my fiancé on that ship! What would you know you cold hearted bastard?"_

Yzak brought the Duel's hand back and punched the Aegis right on the hatch to the cockpit. When he inquired to Athrun about his condition, he saw Athrun was out cold and continued to drag the Aegis back to the _Vesalius_.

"To Kira Yamato, check which side you should be on. I don't doubt that father had a hand in that message, but still, it is rather low, but understandable. I'll try to keep Athrun from going off the deep end."

"_Thanks… Tell Athrun sorry for me."_

"No problem."

* * *

The battle has ended and I managed to portray what should have been said or at very least send a message to prevent the confusion that resulted from Badgiruel's broadcast. We also saw what had happened to George Allster and Captain Koopman. Where one was being sent away, Captain Koopman went down with his ship, firing one last volley of fire in defiance and inflicting losses upon the enemy. Any good Naval officer who commands a ship would want to hurt his enemy like that. Now we will see what will develop in the next chapter.

* * *

_**Next Chapter: "Separate Ways"**_

_**Cry for Those Who are Lost Gundam!**_


	10. Seperate Ways

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed. The company Bandai is the legal owner. I also don't claim originality with this story; Solid Shark is the owner of the idea. If he does not approve of my use of his idea, he can let me know and I'll pull the story once I have gotten his message.

Claimer: However I do declare ownership of the Crimson Eagle, the Dark Side Bear, and the Lunar Cherry Blossom. I also declare ownership of the twist I'm putting in.

**_"The Endymion Ghosts"_**

**_Phase Eight: "Separate Ways"

* * *

_**

**Earth Orbit**

Having thwarted a ZAFT attack, the mobile suits and mobile armor of the _Archangel_ rallied all their remaining allies which added up to one mobile suit, seven mobile armor, thirteen lifeboats, two shuttles, and twelve life pods. Also recovered were various sailors and pilots that had been thrown from their ships and mobile armor as they sank or were shot down as well as some munitions and badly needed medical supplies. Still not much had been salvaged, but that had been secondary to the surviving crews.

* * *

**_Archangel_, Sickbay**

Captain (Acting) Murrue Ramius stood at the entry to the ship's sickbay and looked with sorrow over the number of wounded men and women. She saw Crim Eagleton, the Crimson Eagle, once ZAFT's greatest hero and ace walk among the many wounded giving words of encouragement and praise. Then he stopped at one man, his nearly all of his body burned, both legs broken, bleeding badly, and near death. He began to talk to the man. He cracked a few bad jokes, but the man laughed. He then reached into a pouch he had and gave the man something, putting whatever it was in his unburned left hand.

"You deserve this medal, more than any other for service to your nation, to the citizens of the Atlantic Federation," Crim said gently and then added loud enough to be heard over the moans of the wounded crisp and clear, like some boot camp instructor, "and you DO NOT have permission to die no matter what the docs may say, that's an order sailor."

The man seemed to nod, but Captain Ramius could not tell, but she didn't miss his reply, "Sir yes SIR!"

Crim smiled and continued talking to the men and women who had been wounded. Finally he came to one sailor that, young female huddled in one corner, hidden from all the others. Captain Ramius had spoken with the young girl, since she was barely old enough, only 16 years old like Mirillia Haw, the pilot of the GAT-X108 Woodland Strike. He began to engage her in conversation, pulling her in front of the others.

"Scared, don't blame you, we all get scared, it's as natural as breathing. Doesn't matter if you're a newbie or an ace, fear is always there," he said to her gently.

"How… how do… how can you not be scared sir… You're a battle veteran?" she began to cry, but Crim gave her a hug and murmured something into her ear and then loudly.

"I'm scared easily… Some would think otherwise, since I'm supposed to be one of those space monsters you're all here to kill. I'm the Crimson Eagle, the man who lost his first command and his family on February 14th, Cosmic Era 70."

Heads snapped to look at the man and indeed, a few had seen his picture, but none could believe that the legendary Master of Aces was among them. Yet, he had said something that got their attention. The date of the Bloody Valentine and the truth so few knew about. The lost of his first ranked ZAFT officer command and his home and family.

"Fear can be our enemy and our ally. Courage is not the absence of fear, but fear that we find the strength to trap and seal away. Before every battle I get a little jumpy, sometimes quiet other times too loud for my own good, but I get scared, its natural, I'm not ashamed to admit the truth that I'm only human. God knows I'm no god, just a fallible human soldier who grew so sick of the killing he tried to leave, but oh no, Mars demanded my return in the form of Rau Le Creuset, but now I'm back I'll defeat the ZAFT Zala and Le Creuset are creating and create a new one so that ZAFT will never make repeats of Heliopolis."

"So go ahead and cry, it's alright, nothing to be ashamed of. After my family and command was lost I cried for a full week straight before I was reassigned. Had to get back to fighting a war and preventing more Junius Sevens. Crying is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. It means you'll learn and adapt and that's what we are here to do, learn, adapt, and overcome even our greatest fears. We have a war to win and people to protect."

The young soldier seemed to calm and others looked to him as a leader. Even Murrue Ramius, the teacher, seemed to come alive once more and foster the hope she once told to her students. She watched as he took a medal out of the pouch and pined it right will it belonged.

"It is my honor to bestow this medal known as the Bronze Star with Golden Oak Leaves upon this soldier for bravery in the face of adversity. May you always bring pride and honor to yourself, to your family, to your fellow sailors, and to your fellow countrymen, I salute you!" and he did, a perfect Atlantic Federal Forces salute, others followed, the sailor was filled with pride.

Smiling Crim lead her to the wounded man and once more took hold of his hand.

"I gave you the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in battle," pulling one more medal from the pouch, "So will also give you this Bronze Star with Golden Oaks Leaves for Courage and strength in serving your nation and its citizens. You two are two of the best of the Earth-Sphere. Now it is time for heroes like you to shine and guide the next generations down the path to freedom and justice, you have earned these medals with hard work and dogged determination befitting any and all soldiers of the Atlantic Federation. May you continue to have eternal honor and pride in the work of protecting the Atlantic Federation!"

The wounded began to cheer for their two comrades as Crim made a swift and stealthy retreat into the shadows and then back to the hanger. He knew they would need to prepare for battle once more. Crim shook his head to clear it as he walked into, and for the first time, a full ready room where all the pilots had gathered. Captain Ramius entered behind him and Crim called the room to attention.

"Captain on deck!"

Everyone stood at attention. Captain Ramius decided to humor Crim and reviewed the pilots. They were tired and haggard from the battle. Most had trouble just standing straight, even in the zero-gee. She checked all of them, spoke with a couple of them and then went to the front of the room.

"Be seated," she said and they did, even Kira Yamato and Mirillia.

"I want to tell you that I'm proud that you have survived. Now this ship still has a chance to get Lunar Command. With your aid we will make it and I want all of you here when that happens. Therefore I am issuing an order that no one is to quit, no one is to die or you'll be court marshaled for disobeying a direct order from a ship's captain. Now I'm certain that our resident planner and mobile commander has a couple ideas for operations, but I want him to start with the basics of planning and that is figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of each machine and each pilot. From there I want defensive and offensive plans to be delivered to my office as soon as is humanly possible, but I want them in two days. That is all and you're dismissed to locate your individual bunks."

"All rise!" Ensign Natarle Badgiruel called and all did.

Once the captain left, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Sara James began calling all names and bunk assignments. Then the soft voice of a singer began to be heard throughout the ship and many of the original crew knew it to be Lacus Clyne. Her songs seemed to give the many sailors and pilots hope and strength, something they needed, but at the same time seemed to give them rest and calm, which they also needed even more so. The ship seemed to get a certain mystique about it as the song floated through the air. The crew felt as safe as any could dream of inside the _Archangel_.

* * *

**Space around the Junk Guild Ship, _H.O.M.E_**

Having long finished the repairs on the GAT-X105 Strike and departed leaving the _Archangel_ alone, the crew of the _JGS H.O.M.E._ was plowing through space looking for more junk to salvage and sell when they met up with a group of shuttles carrying more Coordinators to the PLANTS to avoid persecution back on Earth. Only the Orb Union and the Kingdom of Scandinavia allowed Coordinators with-in their borders, but the Scandinavian government was encouraging its Coordinator citizens to seek refuge at neutral colonies with little or no military value and in the territory of Orb.

* * *

**Bridge of the _JGS H.O.M.E._**

Lowe Gear leaned back and yawned, he was bored not tired. Nothing much had happen since Junius Seven and he was getting bored. He looked around the bridge and cringed when he saw the Professor dressed in a clear shirt that showed that she wasn't wearing a bra and clung tightly to her body and a lab coat. The only saving grace of that view was the fact that she was wearing panties. Some days, it most definitely paid _not_ to wake up.

He went to looking about the bridge and only his AI construct, Eight, was on the bridge with them. Boy how he hated being alone with the Professor, even though Eight was there, it still doesn't count for much. Though after being with the Professor for a long time, he had grown kind of used to her sudden change of clothes from respectable professor-type clothes to clothes of a slut. He thought then and there that the Professor probably didn't get enough, but with her habits, who'd blame every male and for that matter female in Earth-Space giving her a wide berth.

He continued to think on why the Professor was like what she was like. He kept drawing a blank though. Like it really mattered to him anyways. The Professor was not ugly in anyway. She was very attractive, maybe in her mid-thirties, with an hourglass frame and her assets had to be about a C-Cup at least. Her lips were neither too big nor too small, she had an average face, but one that was well made with Asian like eyes and a small, delicate, but prominent nose. She had to weigh in at least 130-140 pounds, though he was never that good with guessing about the female body's weight. Still, no matter how you put, she was damn, drop dead gorgeous, but her ways seemed to sink any of that. He finally figured maybe she had once had a love, but he was lost.

_'Oh well,' _he thought.

Then Kisato came on the bridge and floated over to Lowe. Just as she was about to say something to him the ship was rocked by a long-range attack. Kisato immediately began to cry and beg to know what was going on. The professor was already trying to figure out who was attacking. Liam, the only Coordinator of the five-person crew, was already maneuvering the ship and readying the defenses while Lowe ran off the bridge, carrying Eight, to get the Red Frame ready to do battle.

"What is happening?" Kisato was begging the Professor to tell her.

"We're under attack! Confirming a fleet of Alliance ships, center around the _AFS_ _Solomon_. They're all _Drake_-Class, odd, not one larger ship and no mobile armor," the Professor was confused and that was an understatement.

"_I'm no expert on the Alliance and I can tell that is odd,"_ Lowe said from the pilot's seat of the Red Frame.

"CONFIRMING.ONLY.ONE.ALLIANCE.SIGNAL. ALL.OTHERS.LACK.ALLIANCE.SIGNAL." Eight reported after doing a quick check with the _H.O.M.E._'s sensors.

"_Only one Alliance signal, add in a convoy of Coordinators, and you get Blue Cosmos!"_ Lowe had the look of pure disgust on his face.

"Here's something else too. The reason the _Solomon_ lacks mobile armor is because Lowe shot them down back at the Debris Belt when they attacked the _Silverwind_," Liam said.

"So they're after us?" Kisato had calmed a little.

"Not unless they are extremely poor marksmen and they are accidentally hitting the convoy. Which reminds me, where's ZAFT?" Liam asked.

"The nearest ZAFT ships are the _ZMS Gamow_ and _ZMS Inca_. Both are _Luarasia_-Class Frigates," the Professor said.

"I'll signal them," Liam said and began to send out an SOS and got an unexpected response.

"JGS H.O.M.E. _This is the _AFS Archangel_. What is your distress?"_ Volunteer Kuzzey Buskirk's face appear, though distorted and static filled from the N-Jammers in use.

"This the _H.O.M.E_! We are under attack by the _AFS Solomon_ and a suspected Blue Cosmos fleet of _Drake_-Class Frigates! We are requesting immediate assistance! We are with a convoy of civilian ships bound for the PLANTS!" Liam reported.

"_We are on our way, sounding General Quarters and alerting the Eighth Fleet! Be there soon!" _Volunteer Buskirk's image winked out.

"Lowe launch now! Kisato alert the convoy that the _Archangel_ is coming to help us!" the Professor ordered.

"_Red Frame launching!"_

"On it Professor! Convoy master, Convoy master…"

* * *

**Bridge of the _AFS Solomon_**

For nearly two hours, the _Solomon_ fleet had been following a convoy bound for the PLANTS. Little did anyone know that the _Archangel_ and the _Gamow_ and _Inca_ were only a 20 minute full out burn nearby. If the Blue Cosmos crews had any sense, they would have waited or called off the attack as only 35 minutes away was the entire 8th Lunar Fleet. But on the bridge of the _Solomon_, the crew thought the encounter was in the bag.

"Captain there is a Junk vessel in the convoy. What are your orders sir?" the XO asked.

"Bastards should be helping us kill those blasphemous monsters! Sink them too, they might even have a few aboard," Captain John Sanders ordered.

"Enemy mobile suit detected! It's the same one that got our mobile armor back when we ambushed the ZAFT spy ship _Silverwind_!" cried the radar tech.

"Dammit! None of the ships have mobile armor, but still it is only one mobile suit, so concentrate all fire on it!" Captain Sanders ordered.

"Three new contacts have arrived at different points! Two _Luarasia_-Class and one unknown-class!" the radar tech shouted again.

"Sir we're being hailed by Captain Ramius of the Eighth Fleet!" called the communications tech.

"Put him up on the main view screen. Now we're show those monsters!"

As the image appears of the captain of the newly arrived Alliance ship, the crew is surprised to see a young woman, most likely in her mid-late twenties glaring back at them from the unfamiliar bridge of a ship of the 8th Lunar Fleet. They also notice only lieutenant (Senior Grade) rank emblem on her uniform. That confused them, as the ship wasn't a _Drake_-Class and even then she might get command of a wet fleet patrol boat.

"_Captain of the _AFS Solomon_! What is the meaning of this? You are in the company of _Drake_-Class ships that do _NOT_ have Alliance IFF! Identify those vessels and who they belong to as well as explaining why you are assaulting a convoy of civilian ships!"_

"Don't pull rank LIEUTENANT!" Captain Sanders emphasized her rank, "Care to explain why a lowly LIEUTENANT is in command of something heavier than a wet patrol boat?"

"_I speak for Admiral Halberton! He has given me authority to act in his stead until he arrives!"_

"Oh and I should…"

"Mobile suits launching from the Alliance ship!" the radar tech shouted.

"WHAT?" Captain Sanders shouted.

"_This is the _AFSArchangel_, mobile assault carrier of the Eighth Fleet and part of the G-Weapons Development Project! Captain of the _Solomon_, I order you and those rouge _Drake_s to surrender or we'll join the ZAFT in sinking your fleet!"_

"That's treason!" then a new face appeared on the main monitor.

"_Being a captain whose loyalties are to Blue Cosmos is treason. Requesting permission to engage."_

"_Denied, for now. Surrender _Solomon_, and you will at least have your life."_

"Traitors! How can you protect those freaks of black science? They pollute are pure and blue world!"

"_DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!"_

"I do, unless you are…"

"_My name is Crim Eagleton of Team Eagleton. I'm the Crimson Eagle and a former son of the Atlantic Federation! I will cleanse the old homeland of your filth!"_ with that Crim broke communications.

"_I find the _Solomon_ in opposition to the Atlantic Federation! Treason is only punishable by death!" _and with that the Captain of the _Archangel_ cut communications.

Then two emerald lights tore through space and sank one of the _Drake_s. As the five mobile suits and a dozen mobile armor were joined by the Red Frame and then the Duel, Buster, Blitz, Aegis, and some GINNS and CQUES. While Captain Ramius attempted to coordinate with the _H.O.M.E._ and the two ZAFT ships, _Gamow_ and _Inca_.

* * *

**Bridge of the _Archangel_**

"Thank Captain Zelman for not attacking us, but we're sorry for this distasteful attack by the _Solomon_," Captain Ramius said to the picture of the _ZMS Gamow_'s Captain Zelman.

"_No problem Captain Ramius and your apology is not necessary. We know that many Alliance regular line officers disagree with the notion of a pure and blue world that those fools of Blue Cosmos keep saying. Though I must say that out of all the officers and crews that Eagleton and Ryosouke with Ms. Joule would run into, yours has differently been the better," _Captain Zelman said.

"Thank you for understanding sir. If we can't sink them all soon, the Eighth Fleet would be here soon and then they will either have the choice of surrender or be sunk. Personally, I'm hoping for the latter. I hate Blue Cosmos for helping fan the flames of war," Captain Ramius had oblivious disgust on her face and didn't try to hide the fact she hated Blue Cosmos.

"_With Commander Eagleton out there, this battle is all but won!" _Captain Zelman allowed himself a slight laugh.

"But as he always tells us, 'don't slack off until your there,' and after the lost of the Advance Force… I won't relax until the Eighth Fleet is here," Captain Ramius said.

"_Hmm… Quite correct, I know that he may be younger than most, but he has an almost military like background with previous training,"_ Captain Zelman shook his head.

"We wonder about that ourselves, as we've been finding evidence that he was in the Atlantic Federal Army, but how is beyond us… Pitch angle ten degrees up soft starboard rudder target _Drake_ 5 and _Drake_ 16 and fire Gottfrieds!" she ordered.

* * *

The emerald light of death spat from the Gottfrieds and struck both ships. Then Sledgehammer missiles smashed into the two wounded ships and both were sunk. The Valiants got another _Drake_, hitting its micro-fusion reactor and the ship ceased to be. The _Gamow_ fired at three other _Drake_s, sinking one and severely damaging the other two that the _Inca_ finished off with its missiles.

* * *

The GAT-X303 Aegis had switched to its mobile armor mode and sent a 320mm Multi-phase Scylla blast right into the side of a _Drake_ at an angle. The _Drake_ was nearly cut in two from port side to starboard side, nearly a perfect horizontal cut from bow to stern. The ship did suffer severe internal damage and exploded.

* * *

The GAT-X207 Blitz and the GAT-X210 Shadow tricked two other _Drake_s into shooting at one another sinking both ships.

* * *

The GAT-X103 Buster and the GAT-X107 Field Strike with the 205mm Twin Howitzer Ramfire Striker Pack also equipped with 2x40 90mm missile pods on the shoulders and 2x10 45mm missile pods on the legs with a 76mm beam rifle with 185mm grenade launcher. The Ramfire is recommended for dealing with heavily entrenched fortresses and other ultra hard targets. For fleet engagement, only one word: Overkill.

The Buster and two ZGMF-1017 GINNS with 120mm bazookas started to blast open a couple of _Drake_s, but the Ramfire Striker Pack equipped Field Strike sank and damaged a dozen enemy ships with a single terrifying barrage that defined Shock and Awe. The pilot, Sakura Ryosouke, was laughing like a madman the whole time at the chance to use such heavy weaponry, that her three impromptu wingmen gave her a wide berth.

* * *

The GAT-X105 Strike was using the Sword Striker Pack and Kira was putting the 15.78meter "Schwert Gewehr" anti-ship sword to work and putting it to good use and already sank three ships. Bringing it about once more, Kira and the Strike bisected a Drake clean in two from the bow to the stern. The two halves floated apart for a few moments and then exploded violently. Kira, like all others, went searching for the next target.

* * *

The GINNS not with the Buster and the CQUES joined with the _Archangel_'s mobile armor and quickly tore into the _Drake_s from one end sinking several with-in the first few shots. They continued to look for targets and rage about the battlefield sinking and damaging more while the three ships they had come from filled the space where the _Drake_s were full of streaking death.

* * *

The GAT-X106 Highland Strike with the GAT-X108 Woodland Strike had met up with the GAT-X102 Duel and began to rip into the enemy fleet. Mirillia Haw and Crim Eagleton both had chosen the Sword Striker Pack. The Duel was equipped as it normally was. During the fighting they had met up with the Strike and Kira and really began to lay waste to the ships all round them when several emerald streaks nearly hit them. Several _Nelson_-Class Cruisers with escorts had arrived and Blue Cosmos controlled them. They also had mobile armor.

* * *

The fighting became extremely fierce as both sides fought back and forth. Then it happened. A mobile suit, a GINN specifically, was damaged. The Strike moved to cover, but was caught in a firing pattern from a couple of _Nelson_-Class Cruisers. Just as the fatal blow was about to strike the Strike, the Highland knocked the Strike away and took the shot full on. Crim Eagleton didn't stand a chance. The Highland ceased to be right in front of the Duel, right in front of Yzak Joule.

* * *

Kira Yamato was also paralyzed with fear and guilt and a shot ripped right into the side of the Strike, showering the nearby Duel with super heated and jagged pieces of the Strike. Some of the pieces broke through the Duel's Phase-Shift armor and damaged the suit itself. The main monitor of the Duel exploded in Yzak's face showering him with debris and glass, one piece of debris broke through his helmet's visor and tore into the right half of his face. He screamed in pain as the wounded Strike retrieved the wounded Duel. Both went back to the _Archangel_.

* * *

Then the 8th Fleet arrived, later than expected, but made up for it as all ships fired as one. The remaining Blue Cosmos ships were sunk and the _Solomon_ was adrift wounded and immobile. Then several GINNS captured the ship as the _Archangel_ leveled its guns at the damaged _Drake_. Yet, several convoy ships were badly damaged and confirming losses, but the biggest loss had been the GAT-X106 Highland Strike and its pilot, Crim Eagleton.

* * *

Later that day, Yzak and the Duel were transferred back to the _Gamow_ as per agreement from before the battle. Also transferred was Lacus Clyne. Athrun Zala had personally come to get her. He asked Kira to come with them and for Lina Joule and Sakura to return as well, but they had said no. Athrun told them what that meant. They knew and they accepted the unfortunate part of they had to play.

"Very well then, Kira, Ryosouke. The next time we meet, I'll have to kill you," Athrun said as Lacus looked at him with deep sorrow.

"You call yourself a soldier, but forget that not everyone one sides with one or the other. They choose their own path and stay where they feel most comfortable," a new voice rang out in the hanger.

All looked to see Rear Admiral (Upper Half) Lewis Halberton land next to Kira and put a hand on his shoulder.

"But now that the Eighth Fleet is here, the civilians will be going back to Orb territory. After all, this is not their war," Admiral Halberton said.

"Fine then," Athrun said feeling hurt and he and Lacus disappeared inside the shuttle from the _Gamow_.

* * *

Well, now we lost Crim and we will be having Mirillia's training flashback here shortly. The biggest thing though will be Crim's past. His real identity before the war and how Blue Cosmos destroyed his life. We will also find out what will happen to the _Solomon_'s crew and the _Solomon_ herself.

We're also see what has happened to Flay and what will Kira do now that Crim is gone and cannot teach or give advice to the crew. What effect will his death have?

* * *

_**Next Phase: "Endless Sea of Stars"**_

_**Will You rise again on a New Battlefield Gundam!**_


	11. Apology

Disaster! I've recently suffered a mass loss of all my best chapters! It occurred with a computer crash. So I have to start practically all of my updates and new stories from scratch! TO all those who read my fan fiction, I am very sorry for this inconvenience and that it has happened at a time when I, myself, am moving and my newly acquired job is really starting to get busy. So don't expect updates any time soon, but rejoice that at least two update chapters were else where and are nearing completion.

The two Chapters are the following and so are their stories:

"**_Tale of a Lone Cat"_** – **Area 88**

**Arrival**

"**_In the Zone"_** – **Mobile Suit Gundam: SEED**

"**Battle of Heliopolis**

Also, I will be starting some new stories to hopefully help me back on track. I will also like to encourage anyone out there with some ideas for my next chapters and the ones that I'm going to be redoing to go ahead and contact me at my e-mail. I intend to make my stories more enjoyable, but I really am not good at thinking outside of a small circle of possibilities so I would like opinions and feedback to help to create more improved chapters and to those out there with a few secret tidbits of my stories, nothing will change, promise. That information is still highly accurate because I had written by hand those parts on line paper. So at least that information has not been lost. There will be, however, some slight changes, but only in the overall grand scheme of things.

Sincerely,

F-14 Tomcat Lover

Formerly Easy-Company-506/101, War-Reporter


End file.
